diff --git a/python/gui/auto_generated/qgspixmaplabel.sip.in b/python/gui/auto_generated/qgspixmaplabel.sip.in
index 496947aaf666..fe262dab4d4e 100644
--- a/python/gui/auto_generated/qgspixmaplabel.sip.in
+++ b/python/gui/auto_generated/qgspixmaplabel.sip.in
@@ -45,9 +45,12 @@ determined from the width with the given aspect ratio.
 %End
 
   public slots:
+
     void setPixmap( const QPixmap & );
     virtual void resizeEvent( QResizeEvent * );
 
+    void clear();
+
 };
 
 /************************************************************************
diff --git a/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsexternalresourcewidgetwrapper.cpp b/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsexternalresourcewidgetwrapper.cpp
index f097c10f5ed1..c9dd94a73597 100644
--- a/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsexternalresourcewidgetwrapper.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/editorwidgets/qgsexternalresourcewidgetwrapper.cpp
@@ -249,7 +249,6 @@ void QgsExternalResourceWidgetWrapper::updateValues( const QVariant &value, cons
       mQgsWidget->setDocumentPath( value.toString() );
     }
   }
-
 }
 
 void QgsExternalResourceWidgetWrapper::setEnabled( bool enabled )
diff --git a/src/gui/qgsexternalresourcewidget.cpp b/src/gui/qgsexternalresourcewidget.cpp
index c7fc18536290..86a0bf5008db 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgsexternalresourcewidget.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qgsexternalresourcewidget.cpp
@@ -245,9 +245,13 @@ void QgsExternalResourceWidget::loadDocument( const QString &path )
       ir.setAutoTransform( true );
       QPixmap pm = QPixmap::fromImage( ir.read() );
       if ( !pm.isNull() )
+      {
         mPixmapLabel->setPixmap( pm );
+      }
       else
+      {
         mPixmapLabel->clear();
+      }
       updateDocumentViewer();
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.cpp b/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.cpp
index b5d8bcfd9cbd..b6c26bab0bb1 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.cpp
+++ b/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.cpp
@@ -56,6 +56,14 @@ QSize QgsPixmapLabel::sizeHint() const
 void QgsPixmapLabel::resizeEvent( QResizeEvent *e )
 {
   QLabel::resizeEvent( e );
-  QLabel::setPixmap( mPixmap.scaled( this->size(),
-                                     Qt::KeepAspectRatio, Qt::SmoothTransformation ) );
+  if ( !mPixmap.isNull() )
+  {
+    QLabel::setPixmap( mPixmap.scaled( this->size(), Qt::KeepAspectRatio, Qt::SmoothTransformation ) );
+  }
+}
+
+void QgsPixmapLabel::clear()
+{
+  mPixmap = QPixmap();
+  QLabel::clear();
 }
diff --git a/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.h b/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.h
index 7340c513a614..56e4b8f82183 100644
--- a/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.h
+++ b/src/gui/qgspixmaplabel.h
@@ -50,9 +50,13 @@ class GUI_EXPORT QgsPixmapLabel : public QLabel
     QSize sizeHint() const override;
 
   public slots:
+
     void setPixmap( const QPixmap & );
     void resizeEvent( QResizeEvent * ) override;
+    void clear();
+
   private:
+
     QPixmap mPixmap;
 };