diff --git a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/Splitter.java b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/Splitter.java
index a37599ca843d..25933d3f5490 100644
--- a/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/Splitter.java
+++ b/platform/util/src/com/intellij/openapi/ui/Splitter.java
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ public class Splitter extends JPanel {
    *
    * @param component
    */
-  public void setFirstComponent(JComponent component) {
+  public void setFirstComponent(@Nullable JComponent component) {
     if (myFirstComponent != component) {
       if (myFirstComponent != null) {
         remove(myFirstComponent);