diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/plugin/core/datamgr/tree/DtFilterState.java b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/plugin/core/datamgr/tree/DtFilterState.java
index 6dd5d83d1b..825711aa2f 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/plugin/core/datamgr/tree/DtFilterState.java
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/plugin/core/datamgr/tree/DtFilterState.java
@@ -134,16 +134,23 @@ public class DtFilterState {
 			return true;
 		}
 
-		DataType baseDt = DataTypeUtils.getBaseDataType(dt);
-
 		if (dt instanceof Array) {
 			return passes(arraysFilter, dt);
 		}
 
-		if (dt instanceof Pointer) {
+		if (dt instanceof Pointer ptrDt) {
+			if (ptrDt.getDataType() == null) {
+				// special check for a pointer data type that is equivalent to the 
+				// built-in base "pointer" data type ("pointer" does not have a target type).
+				// Returning 'true' here allows this data type to bypass the filter just like
+				// builtin int/float types will at the bottom of this method.
+				return true;
+			}
 			return passes(pointersFilter, dt);
 		}
 
+		DataType baseDt = DataTypeUtils.getBaseDataType(dt);
+
 		if (baseDt instanceof Enum) {
 			return passes(enumsFilter, dt);
 		}
diff --git a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/datatype/DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel.java b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/datatype/DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel.java
index 6fb9b36f92..6bbe66a347 100644
--- a/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/datatype/DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel.java
+++ b/Ghidra/Features/Base/src/main/java/ghidra/app/util/datatype/DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel.java
@@ -147,15 +147,17 @@ public class DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel implements DropDownTextFieldData
 		// another dtm.  In the second step, duplicate data types will be omitted from the
 		// final results, in favor of the data type that is already in the preferred dtm.
 		Set<UniversalID> preferredUids = new HashSet<>();
-		Set<Class<?>> preferredBuiltins = new HashSet<>();
+		Set<String> preferredBuiltinNames = new HashSet<>();
 		for (DataType dt : dtList) {
-			DataType baseDt = DataTypeUtilities.getBaseDataType(dt);
+			// only look at data types that are already in the preferred DTM
+			DataType baseDt = Objects.requireNonNullElse(DataTypeUtilities.getBaseDataType(dt), dt);
 			if (!isFromPreferredDtm(baseDt)) {
 				continue;
 			}
 
-			if (baseDt instanceof BuiltInDataType) {
-				preferredBuiltins.add(baseDt.getClass());
+			if (isBuiltinDataType(baseDt)) {
+				// add any builtin data types that are already in the pref DTM to this exclude list
+				preferredBuiltinNames.add(baseDt.getName());
 			}
 			else if (baseDt.getUniversalID() != null) {
 				preferredUids.add(baseDt.getUniversalID());
@@ -167,14 +169,14 @@ public class DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel implements DropDownTextFieldData
 			if (dt instanceof Array) {
 				continue;
 			}
-			DataType baseDt = DataTypeUtilities.getBaseDataType(dt);
+			DataType baseDt =
+				Objects.requireNonNullElse(DataTypeUtilities.getBaseDataType(dt), dt);
 			if (baseDt == null) {
 				continue;
 			}
 
 			if (preferredDtm != null && !isFromPreferredDtm(baseDt)) {
-				if (baseDt instanceof BuiltInDataType &&
-					preferredBuiltins.contains(baseDt.getClass())) {
+				if (isBuiltinDataType(baseDt) && preferredBuiltinNames.contains(baseDt.getName())) {
 					continue;
 				}
 				if (baseDt.getUniversalID() != null &&
@@ -204,6 +206,14 @@ public class DataTypeDropDownSelectionDataModel implements DropDownTextFieldData
 		return false;
 	}
 
+	private boolean isBuiltinDataType(DataType dt) {
+		// check for normal builtin data types, as well as any pointer (which will probably be a
+		// DataTypeDB that does not derive from Builtin) that does not point to anything.
+		// This ptr data type is equiv to the "pointer" built-in data type.  
+		return dt instanceof BuiltInDataType ||
+			(dt instanceof Pointer ptrDT && ptrDT.getDataType() == null);
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	public int getIndexOfFirstMatchingEntry(List<DataType> data, String text) {