diff --git a/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/controlFlow/ControlFlowAnalyzer.java b/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/controlFlow/ControlFlowAnalyzer.java
index a7b7e290b42c..da32b64ea092 100644
--- a/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/controlFlow/ControlFlowAnalyzer.java
+++ b/java/java-psi-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/controlFlow/ControlFlowAnalyzer.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2000-2013 JetBrains s.r.o.
+ * Copyright 2000-2014 JetBrains s.r.o.
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -1505,12 +1505,14 @@ class ControlFlowAnalyzer extends JavaElementVisitor {
 
     IElementType op = expression.getOperationTokenType();
     PsiExpression operand = PsiUtil.skipParenthesizedExprDown(expression.getOperand());
-    operand.accept(this);
-    if (op == JavaTokenType.PLUSPLUS || op == JavaTokenType.MINUSMINUS) {
-      if (operand instanceof PsiReferenceExpression) {
-        PsiVariable variable = getUsedVariable((PsiReferenceExpression)operand);
-        if (variable != null) {
-          generateWriteInstruction(variable);
+    if (operand != null) {
+      operand.accept(this);
+      if (op == JavaTokenType.PLUSPLUS || op == JavaTokenType.MINUSMINUS) {
+        if (operand instanceof PsiReferenceExpression) {
+          PsiVariable variable = getUsedVariable((PsiReferenceExpression)operand);
+          if (variable != null) {
+            generateWriteInstruction(variable);
+          }
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/advHighlighting/AssignToFinal.java b/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/advHighlighting/AssignToFinal.java
index 171b63a8f06f..de5212a4bf87 100644
--- a/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/advHighlighting/AssignToFinal.java
+++ b/java/java-tests/testData/codeInsight/daemonCodeAnalyzer/advHighlighting/AssignToFinal.java
@@ -90,5 +90,6 @@ class T1 {
     ++(<error descr="Variable 'i2' might not have been initialized">i2</error>);
     <error descr="Variable 'i3' might not have been initialized">i3</error> += 1;
     (i4) = 1;
+    (<error descr="Expression expected">)</error>++;
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file