diff --git a/components/brave_rewards/resources/extension/brave_rewards/background/storage.ts b/components/brave_rewards/resources/extension/brave_rewards/background/storage.ts
index 996582aba8ff..d72388b34dc3 100644
--- a/components/brave_rewards/resources/extension/brave_rewards/background/storage.ts
+++ b/components/brave_rewards/resources/extension/brave_rewards/background/storage.ts
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ const cleanData = (state: RewardsExtension.State) => {
   state = { ...state }
   state.publishers = {}
 
-  if (!state.balance) {
+  const balance = state.balance as any
+  if (!balance || balance.total == null) {
     state.balance = defaultState.balance
   }