diff --git a/platform/structuralsearch/source/com/intellij/structuralsearch/StructuralSearchUtil.java b/platform/structuralsearch/source/com/intellij/structuralsearch/StructuralSearchUtil.java
index be33189ee486..be4759d676a7 100644
--- a/platform/structuralsearch/source/com/intellij/structuralsearch/StructuralSearchUtil.java
+++ b/platform/structuralsearch/source/com/intellij/structuralsearch/StructuralSearchUtil.java
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ public class StructuralSearchUtil {
 
   @Contract("null -> false")
   public static boolean isIdentifier(PsiElement element) {
+    if (element == null) return false;
     final StructuralSearchProfile profile = getProfileByPsiElement(element);
     return profile != null && profile.isIdentifier(element);
   }