diff --git a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/watch/ValueDescriptorImpl.java b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/watch/ValueDescriptorImpl.java
index dabec03d00c0..24e53cf85878 100644
--- a/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/watch/ValueDescriptorImpl.java
+++ b/java/debugger/impl/src/com/intellij/debugger/ui/impl/watch/ValueDescriptorImpl.java
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ public abstract class ValueDescriptorImpl extends NodeDescriptorImpl implements
       }
       myValue = value;
       myValueException = null;
-      if (myRenderer == null) {
+      if (myRenderer == null && myValue != null) {
         myRenderer = DebuggerRendererUtil.getCustomRenderer(evaluationContext.getDebugProcess(), myValue, NodeRenderer.class);
       }
     }