diff --git a/modules/generative_grammar/grammar.cpp b/modules/generative_grammar/grammar.cpp
index 7f0f6e0dbb..82b385fa65 100644
--- a/modules/generative_grammar/grammar.cpp
+++ b/modules/generative_grammar/grammar.cpp
@@ -119,8 +119,12 @@ void CompositeRule::_bind_methods() {
 
 void CompositeRule::_notification(int what) {
 	switch (what) {
-		case NOTIFICATION_READY:
 		case NOTIFICATION_CHILD_ORDER_CHANGED:
+			if (!is_ready()) {
+				return;
+			}
+			// fall through
+		case NOTIFICATION_READY:
 			this->rules.clear();
 			for (Variant child : get_children()) {
 				if (Rule * rule{ cast_to<Rule>(child) }) {