diff --git a/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_asset_ops.cc b/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_asset_ops.cc
index 7c70666c462..5ba4d0e5dee 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_asset_ops.cc
+++ b/source/blender/editors/animation/anim_asset_ops.cc
@@ -638,6 +638,9 @@ static wmOperatorStatus pose_asset_modify_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 {
   bAction *action = get_action_of_selected_asset(C);
   BLI_assert_msg(action, "Poll should have checked action exists");
+  /* Get asset now. Asset browser might get tagged for refreshing through operations below, and not
+   * allow querying items from context until refreshed, see #140781. */
+  const asset_system::AssetRepresentation *asset = CTX_wm_asset(C);
 
   Main *bmain = CTX_data_main(C);
   Object *pose_object = CTX_data_active_object(C);
@@ -655,7 +658,7 @@ static wmOperatorStatus pose_asset_modify_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
     bke::asset_edit_id_save(*bmain, action->id, *op->reports);
   }
 
-  asset::refresh_asset_library_from_asset(C, *CTX_wm_asset(C));
+  asset::refresh_asset_library_from_asset(C, *asset);
   WM_main_add_notifier(NC_ASSET | ND_ASSET_LIST | NA_EDITED, nullptr);
 
   return OPERATOR_FINISHED;