diff --git a/lib/flexi/Template.php b/lib/flexi/Template.php
index de2547efe098267a26bad70c5c25a465bbd949a1..d5c0310c77b521c9978196c885a416024c293e94 100644
--- a/lib/flexi/Template.php
+++ b/lib/flexi/Template.php
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ abstract class Template
      */
     public function set_layout(Template|string|null $layout): void
     {
-        $this->layout = $this->factory->open($layout);
+        $this->layout = $layout ? $this->factory->open($layout) : null;
     }
 
     /**