Markdown-Links with empty URL in FrontMatter break Document

Steps to reproduce

Create a new Note with this Frontmatter and will no longer open in Obsidian:

---
emptyLink: "[results in an unrecoverable error]()"
---


Did you follow the troubleshooting guide? [Y/N] Yes

Please, follow the Troubleshooting Guide before answering Yes.

Expected result

Document will at least open

Actual result

Pop-up Message top right sayíng: Failed to open ""
Document is not shown and not added to the History.

Workaround: anything in the URL, e.g. a `#`
`[…](#)`

Environment

SYSTEM INFO:
Obsidian version: 1.12.7
Installer version: 1.12.7
Operating system: Windows 11 Enterprise 10.0.26100
Login status: not logged in
Language: en
Insider build toggle: off
Live preview: on
Base theme: adapt to system
Community theme: none
Snippets enabled: 0
Restricted mode: on
RECOMMENDATIONS:
none


Additional information

app.js:1 Obsidian Developer Console
app.js:1 TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘startsWith’)
at oO (app.js:1:1688550)
at t.render (app.js:1:1690874)
at t.setValue (app.js:1:1691244)
at Object.render (app.js:1:1688174)
at e.renderProperty (app.js:1:1687548)
at a (app.js:1:1677685)
at t.synchronize (app.js:1:1677740)
at t.loadFrontmatter (app.js:1:2889465)
at t.setViewData (app.js:1:2890070)
at t.setData (app.js:1:2318226)
(anonymous) @ app.js:1
worker.js:1 AppWorker exception TypeError: Cannot read properties of undefined (reading ‘startsWith’)
at n (worker.js:1:230864)
at r (worker.js:1:231188)
at br (worker.js:1:231208)
at worker.js:1:232302
at worker.js:1:234784
at self.onmessage (worker.js:1:234815)
self.onmessage @ worker.js:1

I can reproduce the issue using Obsidian 1.13.1.

CleanShot 2026-07-09 at 05.10.48