diff --git a/modules/highgui/src/window_QT.cpp b/modules/highgui/src/window_QT.cpp
index 1433f744de..d4dfc989f5 100644
--- a/modules/highgui/src/window_QT.cpp
+++ b/modules/highgui/src/window_QT.cpp
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ static CvTrackbar* icvFindTrackBarByName(const char* name_trackbar, const char*
 {
     QString nameQt(name_trackbar);
 
-    if (!name_window && global_control_panel) //window name is null and we have a control panel
+    if ((!name_window || !name_window[0]) && global_control_panel) //window name is null and we have a control panel
         layout = global_control_panel->myLayout;
 
     if (!layout)