diff --git a/src/GUI/mouse.cxx b/src/GUI/mouse.cxx
index 4b435b297..d80ead445 100644
--- a/src/GUI/mouse.cxx
+++ b/src/GUI/mouse.cxx
@@ -542,7 +542,9 @@ void guiMouseFunc(int button, int updown, int x, int y)
     // know what's going on.
     if (mouse_mode == MOUSE_POINTER) {
       if (!puMouse (button, updown, x,y)) {
-	current_panel->doMouseAction(button, updown, x, y);
+        if ( current_panel != NULL ) {
+          current_panel->doMouseAction(button, updown, x, y);
+        }
       }
     }