diff --git a/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/backwardRefs/BackwardReferenceRegistrar.java b/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/backwardRefs/BackwardReferenceRegistrar.java
index b6fb8ee5177a..83d317582114 100644
--- a/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/backwardRefs/BackwardReferenceRegistrar.java
+++ b/jps/jps-builders/src/org/jetbrains/jps/backwardRefs/BackwardReferenceRegistrar.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ public class BackwardReferenceRegistrar implements JavacFileReferencesRegistrar
 
   @Override
   public boolean isEnabled() {
-    return BackwardReferenceIndexWriter.isEnabled();
+    return BackwardReferenceIndexWriter.isEnabled() && BackwardReferenceIndexWriter.getInstance() != null;
   }
 
   @Override