diff --git a/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts b/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts
index c7e4fd457934..b8e2eb7c9bc2 100644
--- a/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts
+++ b/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete-trigger.ts
@@ -625,12 +625,12 @@ export class MatAutocompleteTrigger
         {injector: this._environmentInjector},
       );
     });
-    const optionChanges = this.autocomplete.options.changes.pipe(
+    const optionChanges = this.autocomplete.options?.changes.pipe(
       tap(() => this._positionStrategy.reapplyLastPosition()),
       // Defer emitting to the stream until the next tick, because changing
       // bindings in here will cause "changed after checked" errors.
       delay(0),
-    );
+    ) ?? observableOf();
 
     // When the options are initially rendered, and when the option list changes...
     return (
diff --git a/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts b/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
index 9a27005487f9..112899f57124 100644
--- a/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.spec.ts
@@ -3252,6 +3252,17 @@ describe('MatAutocomplete', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should not throw errors when closing without options', fakeAsync(() => {
+    const fixture = createComponent(AutocompleteWithoutOptions);
+    const trigger = fixture.componentInstance.trigger;
+
+    trigger.openPanel();
+    fixture.detectChanges();
+    fixture.destroy();
+
+    expect(() => trigger.closePanel()).not.toThrow();
+  }));
+
   describe('automatically selecting the active option', () => {
     let fixture: ComponentFixture<SimpleAutocomplete>;
 
@@ -4496,3 +4507,20 @@ class AutocompleteInsideAModal {
   @ViewChildren(MatOption) options: QueryList<MatOption>;
   @ViewChild('modal') modal: ElementRef;
 }
+
+@Component({
+  selector: 'autocomplete-without-options',
+  template: `
+    <mat-form-field>
+      <input matInput [matAutocomplete]="auto">
+    </mat-form-field>
+
+    <mat-autocomplete #auto="matAutocomplete">
+    </mat-autocomplete>
+  `,
+  standalone: false,
+})
+class AutocompleteWithoutOptions {
+  @ViewChild(MatAutocompleteTrigger, { static: true }) trigger: MatAutocompleteTrigger;
+}
+
diff --git a/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts b/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts
index 475023b30661..54078571d1f0 100644
--- a/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts
+++ b/src/material/autocomplete/autocomplete.ts
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ export class MatAutocomplete implements AfterContentInit, OnDestroy {
 
   /** Panel should hide itself when the option list is empty. */
   _setVisibility() {
-    this.showPanel = !!this.options.length;
+    this.showPanel = !!this.options?.length;
     this._changeDetectorRef.markForCheck();
   }