diff --git a/source/blender/editors/asset/ED_asset_filter.hh b/source/blender/editors/asset/ED_asset_filter.hh
index 889a51f69da..9f1770ea17f 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/asset/ED_asset_filter.hh
+++ b/source/blender/editors/asset/ED_asset_filter.hh
@@ -54,6 +54,8 @@ struct AssetItemTree {
       assets_per_path;
   /** Assets not added to a catalog, not part of #assets_per_path. */
   Vector<asset_system::AssetRepresentation *> unassigned_assets;
+  /** True if the tree is out of date compared to asset libraries and must be rebuilt. */
+  bool dirty = true;
 };
 
 asset_system::AssetCatalogTree build_filtered_catalog_tree(
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/asset/intern/asset_filter.cc b/source/blender/editors/asset/intern/asset_filter.cc
index 92450986c80..02d9c9a1816 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/asset/intern/asset_filter.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/asset/intern/asset_filter.cc
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ AssetItemTree build_filtered_all_catalog_tree(
 
   return {std::move(catalogs_with_node_assets),
           std::move(assets_per_path),
-          std::move(unassigned_assets)};
+          std::move(unassigned_assets),
+          false};
 }
 
 }  // namespace blender::ed::asset
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/geometry/node_group_operator.cc b/source/blender/editors/geometry/node_group_operator.cc
index d5f15adb170..b39d0622cda 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/geometry/node_group_operator.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/geometry/node_group_operator.cc
@@ -787,7 +787,7 @@ void clear_operator_asset_trees()
   for (const ObjectType type : {OB_MESH, OB_CURVES, OB_POINTCLOUD}) {
     for (const eObjectMode mode : {OB_MODE_OBJECT, OB_MODE_EDIT, OB_MODE_SCULPT_CURVES}) {
       if (asset::AssetItemTree *tree = get_static_item_tree(type, mode)) {
-        *tree = {};
+        tree->dirty = true;
       }
     }
   }
@@ -1105,7 +1105,7 @@ void ui_template_node_operator_asset_root_items(uiLayout &layout, const bContext
   if (!tree) {
     return;
   }
-  if (tree->assets_per_path.size() == 0) {
+  if (tree->dirty) {
     *tree = build_catalog_tree(C, *active_object);
   }