diff --git a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/wm/impl/status/IdeStatusBarImpl.java b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/wm/impl/status/IdeStatusBarImpl.java
index 52dc91767fd0..f1ca51d1d6d6 100644
--- a/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/wm/impl/status/IdeStatusBarImpl.java
+++ b/platform/platform-impl/src/com/intellij/openapi/wm/impl/status/IdeStatusBarImpl.java
@@ -522,6 +522,9 @@ public class IdeStatusBarImpl extends JComponent implements Accessible, StatusBa
   @Override
   public boolean dispatch(@NotNull AWTEvent e) {
     if (e instanceof MouseEvent) {
+      if (myRightPanel == null) {
+        return false;
+      }
       Component component = ((MouseEvent)e).getComponent();
       if (component == null) {
         return false;