diff --git a/planning/behavior_path_planner/src/scene_module/goal_planner/goal_planner_module.cpp b/planning/behavior_path_planner/src/scene_module/goal_planner/goal_planner_module.cpp
index e5e5ac119e90d..16de4f64f842b 100644
--- a/planning/behavior_path_planner/src/scene_module/goal_planner/goal_planner_module.cpp
+++ b/planning/behavior_path_planner/src/scene_module/goal_planner/goal_planner_module.cpp
@@ -992,6 +992,11 @@ BehaviorModuleOutput GoalPlannerModule::planWaitingApproval()
 
 BehaviorModuleOutput GoalPlannerModule::planWaitingApprovalWithGoalModification()
 {
+  // if pull over path candidates generation is not finished, use previous module output
+  if (status_.get_pull_over_path_candidates().empty()) {
+    return getPreviousModuleOutput();
+  }
+
   waitApproval();
 
   // if pull over path candidates generation is not finished, use previous module output
@@ -1039,7 +1044,7 @@ BehaviorModuleOutput GoalPlannerModule::planWaitingApprovalWithGoalModification(
 
 std::pair<double, double> GoalPlannerModule::calcDistanceToPathChange() const
 {
-  const auto & full_path = status_.get_pull_over_path()->getFullPath();
+  const auto full_path = status_.get_pull_over_path()->getFullPath();
 
   const auto ego_segment_idx = motion_utils::findNearestSegmentIndex(
     full_path.points, planner_data_->self_odometry->pose.pose, std::numeric_limits<double>::max(),