diff --git a/models/issues/issue_project.go b/models/issues/issue_project.go
index 6331b668fa..b0910459a3 100644
--- a/models/issues/issue_project.go
+++ b/models/issues/issue_project.go
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ func (issue *Issue) LoadProjectIssue(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	issue.ProjectIssue.Project = issue.Project
+
 	return issue.ProjectIssue.LoadProjectColumn(ctx)
 }
 
diff --git a/models/project/issue.go b/models/project/issue.go
index b0372cde31..e4d2e6e3b3 100644
--- a/models/project/issue.go
+++ b/models/project/issue.go
@@ -14,9 +14,10 @@ import (
 
 // ProjectIssue saves relation from issue to a project
 type ProjectIssue struct { //revive:disable-line:exported
-	ID        int64 `xorm:"pk autoincr"`
-	IssueID   int64 `xorm:"INDEX"`
-	ProjectID int64 `xorm:"INDEX"`
+	ID        int64    `xorm:"pk autoincr"`
+	IssueID   int64    `xorm:"INDEX"`
+	ProjectID int64    `xorm:"INDEX"`
+	Project   *Project `xorm:"-"`
 
 	// ProjectColumnID should not be zero since 1.22. If it's zero, the issue will not be displayed on UI and it might result in errors.
 	ProjectColumnID int64   `xorm:"'project_board_id' INDEX"`
@@ -70,6 +71,11 @@ func (issue *ProjectIssue) LoadProjectColumn(ctx context.Context) error {
 
 	var err error
 
+	if issue.ProjectColumnID == 0 {
+		issue.ProjectColumn, err = issue.Project.GetDefaultColumn(ctx)
+		return err
+	}
+
 	issue.ProjectColumn, err = GetColumn(ctx, issue.ProjectColumnID)
 	return err
 }