diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/LanguageDropdown.vue b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/LanguageDropdown.vue
index ddf39fdfee..2ab041dfa6 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/LanguageDropdown.vue
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/LanguageDropdown.vue
@@ -113,6 +113,13 @@
     },
     methods: {
       languageText(item) {
+        // VAutocomplete eagerly evaluates getText(internalValue) as a fallback arg to
+        // getValue, even when that fallback isn't needed. In multiple mode, internalValue
+        // is an Array, so languageText receives the array directly. Return early to avoid
+        // calling .split() on undefined.
+        if (Array.isArray(item)) {
+          return '';
+        }
         const firstNativeName = item.native_name.split(',')[0].trim();
         return this.$tr('languageItemText', { language: firstNativeName, code: item.id });
       },
diff --git a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/__tests__/languageDropdown.spec.js b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/__tests__/languageDropdown.spec.js
index 8bdcd165fd..13244d39b2 100644
--- a/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/__tests__/languageDropdown.spec.js
+++ b/contentcuration/contentcuration/frontend/shared/views/__tests__/languageDropdown.spec.js
@@ -81,4 +81,15 @@ describe('languageDropdown', () => {
     const item = { native_name: '', id: 'de' };
     expect(wrapper.vm.languageText(item)).toBe(' (de)');
   });
+
+  it('returns empty string when called with an array (multiple mode VAutocomplete internal call)', () => {
+    const wrapper = shallowMount(LanguageDropdown, {
+      mocks: {
+        $tr: (key, params) => `${params.language} (${params.code})`,
+      },
+    });
+    // VAutocomplete eagerly evaluates getText(internalValue) as a fallback to getValue.
+    // In multiple mode, internalValue is an Array, so languageText receives the array.
+    expect(wrapper.vm.languageText(['en', 'fr'])).toBe('');
+  });
 });