diff --git a/src/frame.c b/src/frame.c
index 88d6f22fc0..ef42f230ef 100644
--- a/src/frame.c
+++ b/src/frame.c
@@ -1466,6 +1466,11 @@ do_switch_frame (Lisp_Object frame, int track, int for_deletion, Lisp_Object nor
       tty->top_frame = frame;
     }

+  if (!FRAME_LIVE_P (f))
+    /* Return nil if for some reason FRAME has become dead now
+       (Bug#39977).  */
+    return Qnil;
+
   selected_frame = frame;
   if (! FRAME_MINIBUF_ONLY_P (XFRAME (selected_frame)))
     last_nonminibuf_frame = XFRAME (selected_frame);
@@ -2009,8 +2014,6 @@ delete_frame (Lisp_Object frame, Lisp_Object force)
 	error ("Attempt to delete the only frame");
     }

-  /* At this point, we are committed to deleting the frame.
-     There is no more chance for errors to prevent it.  */
   minibuffer_selected = EQ (minibuf_window, selected_window);
   sf = SELECTED_FRAME ();
   /* Don't let the frame remain selected.  */
@@ -2066,10 +2069,17 @@ delete_frame (Lisp_Object frame, Lisp_Object force)
 	Fraise_frame (frame1);
 #endif

-      do_switch_frame (frame1, 0, 1, Qnil);
+      if (!EQ (do_switch_frame (frame1, 0, 1, Qnil), frame1))
+	/* Error out if for some reason FRAME1 was not live
+	   (Bug#39977).  */
+	error ("No frame to switch to found");
+
       sf = SELECTED_FRAME ();
     }

+  /* At this point, we are committed to deleting the frame.
+     There is no more chance for errors to prevent it.  */
+
   /* Don't allow minibuf_window to remain on a deleted frame.  */
   check_minibuf_window (frame, minibuffer_selected);

diff --git a/src/xdisp.c b/src/xdisp.c
index 3a8b5e3f1d..e573c7cf88 100644
--- a/src/xdisp.c
+++ b/src/xdisp.c
@@ -12608,6 +12608,16 @@ fast_set_selected_frame (Lisp_Object frame)
     }
 }

+static void
+fast_set_selected_frame_if_live (Lisp_Object frame)
+{
+  if (!EQ (selected_frame, frame) && FRAME_LIVE_P (XFRAME (frame)))
+    {
+      selected_frame = frame;
+      selected_window = XFRAME (frame)->selected_window;
+    }
+}
+
 #endif /* HAVE_WINDOW_SYSTEM */

 /* Update the tab-bar item list for frame F.  This has to be done
@@ -12681,7 +12691,7 @@ update_tab_bar (struct frame *f, bool save_match_data)
 		       XFRAME (selected_frame)->selected_window));
 #ifdef HAVE_WINDOW_SYSTEM
 	  Lisp_Object frame;
-	  record_unwind_protect (fast_set_selected_frame, selected_frame);
+	  record_unwind_protect (fast_set_selected_frame_if_live, selected_frame);
 	  XSETFRAME (frame, f);
 	  fast_set_selected_frame (frame);
 #endif
@@ -13625,7 +13635,7 @@ update_tool_bar (struct frame *f, bool save_match_data)
 		       /* Since we only explicitly preserve selected_frame,
 			  check that selected_window would be redundant.  */
 		       XFRAME (selected_frame)->selected_window));
-	  record_unwind_protect (fast_set_selected_frame, selected_frame);
+	  record_unwind_protect (fast_set_selected_frame_if_live, selected_frame);
 	  XSETFRAME (frame, f);
 	  fast_set_selected_frame (frame);

@@ -25009,9 +25019,14 @@ display_mode_lines (struct window *w)
       ++n;
     }

-  XFRAME (new_frame)->selected_window = old_frame_selected_window;
-  selected_frame = old_selected_frame;
-  selected_window = old_selected_window;
+  if (WINDOW_LIVE_P (old_frame_selected_window))
+    XFRAME (new_frame)->selected_window = old_frame_selected_window;
+  if (FRAME_LIVE_P (XFRAME (old_selected_frame)))
+    {
+      selected_frame = old_selected_frame;
+      selected_window = old_selected_window;
+    }
+
   if (n > 0)
     w->must_be_updated_p = true;
   return n;