diff --git a/plugins/InspectionGadgets/src/com/siyeh/ig/errorhandling/EmptyCatchBlockInspection.java b/plugins/InspectionGadgets/src/com/siyeh/ig/errorhandling/EmptyCatchBlockInspection.java
index 3e10f0e01ff3..46cf57756d63 100644
--- a/plugins/InspectionGadgets/src/com/siyeh/ig/errorhandling/EmptyCatchBlockInspection.java
+++ b/plugins/InspectionGadgets/src/com/siyeh/ig/errorhandling/EmptyCatchBlockInspection.java
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ public class EmptyCatchBlockInspection extends StatementInspection {
             for (int i = 0; i < catchSections.length; i++) {
                 final PsiCatchSection section = catchSections[i];
                 final PsiCodeBlock block = section.getCatchBlock();
-                if (catchBlockIsEmpty(block)) {
+                if (block!=null && catchBlockIsEmpty(block)) {
                     final PsiElement catchToken = section.getFirstChild();
                     registerError(catchToken);
                 }