diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index df8caca42..157abcc9e 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 2024-03-20  Oliver Kiddle  <opk@zsh.org>
 
+	* 52783: Src/Modules/hlgroup.c: allow for unset hash element
+
 	* unposted: configure.ac: remove reference to fp_PROG_CC_STDC
 	macro which was removed in 52750
 
diff --git a/Src/Modules/hlgroup.c b/Src/Modules/hlgroup.c
index 9c0aedcf8..9b656c24e 100644
--- a/Src/Modules/hlgroup.c
+++ b/Src/Modules/hlgroup.c
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ getgroup(const char *name, int sgr)
     if (!(v = getvalue(&vbuf, &var, 0)) ||
 	     PM_TYPE(v->pm->node.flags) != PM_HASHED ||
 	     !(hlg = v->pm->gsu.h->getfn(v->pm)) ||
-	     !(hn = gethashnode2(hlg, name)))
+	     !(hn = gethashnode2(hlg, name)) ||
+	     (((Param) hn)->node.flags & PM_UNSET))
     {
 	pm->u.str = dupstring("");
 	pm->node.flags |= PM_UNSET;