diff --git a/src/server/game/Entities/Item/Item.cpp b/src/server/game/Entities/Item/Item.cpp
index 6258b57c8..9c0c27fb7 100644
--- a/src/server/game/Entities/Item/Item.cpp
+++ b/src/server/game/Entities/Item/Item.cpp
@@ -1277,10 +1277,15 @@ void Item::ClearSoulboundTradeable(Player* currentOwner)
 
 bool Item::CheckSoulboundTradeExpire()
 {
-    // called from owner's update - GetOwner() MUST be valid
-    if (GetUInt32Value(ITEM_FIELD_CREATE_PLAYED_TIME) + 2 * HOUR < GetOwner()->GetTotalPlayedTime())
+    // we have to check the owner for mod_playerbots since bots programically call methods like DestroyItem, 
+    // MoveItemToMail, DestroyItemCount which do not handle soulboundTradeable clearing.
+    Player* owner = GetOwner();
+    if (!owner)
+        return true; // remove from tradeable list
+    
+    if (GetUInt32Value(ITEM_FIELD_CREATE_PLAYED_TIME) + 2 * HOUR < owner->GetTotalPlayedTime())
     {
-        ClearSoulboundTradeable(GetOwner());
+        ClearSoulboundTradeable(owner);
         return true; // remove from tradeable list
     }