diff --git a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/ValidateViewer.java b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/ValidateViewer.java
index 262e4b270020a7155bc8dc7fed0c363f7c9c9cd8..b6dc142d6cb651ae72848c833ab3c7644bf175ea 100644
--- a/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/ValidateViewer.java
+++ b/uk/ac/sanger/artemis/components/ValidateViewer.java
@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ public class ValidateViewer extends FileViewer implements EntryGroupChangeListen
       }
     });
     
-    if(entryGrp.getDefaultEntry().isReadOnly())
+    if(entryGrp.getDefaultEntry() != null &&
+       entryGrp.getDefaultEntry().isReadOnly())
       fixButton.setEnabled(false);
     button_panel.add(fixButton);