diff --git a/core/modules/layout_builder/src/Entity/LayoutBuilderEntityViewDisplay.php b/core/modules/layout_builder/src/Entity/LayoutBuilderEntityViewDisplay.php
index 1bb24e07cb..14fa80ed50 100644
--- a/core/modules/layout_builder/src/Entity/LayoutBuilderEntityViewDisplay.php
+++ b/core/modules/layout_builder/src/Entity/LayoutBuilderEntityViewDisplay.php
@@ -205,7 +205,11 @@ protected function addSectionField($entity_type_id, $bundle, $field_name) {
    * {@inheritdoc}
    */
   protected function getDefaultRegion() {
-    return $this->getDefaultSection()->getDefaultRegion();
+    if ($this->hasSection(0)) {
+      return $this->getSection(0)->getDefaultRegion();
+    }
+
+    return parent::getDefaultRegion();
   }
 
   /**
@@ -412,9 +416,10 @@ public function setComponent($name, array $options = []) {
       $configuration['formatter'] = array_intersect_key($options, $keys);
       $configuration['context_mapping']['entity'] = 'layout_builder.entity';
 
-      $region = isset($options['region']) ? $options['region'] : $this->getDefaultRegion();
+      $section = $this->getDefaultSection();
+      $region = isset($options['region']) ? $options['region'] : $section->getDefaultRegion();
       $new_component = (new SectionComponent(\Drupal::service('uuid')->generate(), $region, $configuration));
-      $this->getDefaultSection()->appendComponent($new_component);
+      $section->appendComponent($new_component);
     }
     return $this;
   }