diff --git a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceConstantDialog.java b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceConstantDialog.java
index dbca72eb0999..7a9cb013159a 100644
--- a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceConstantDialog.java
+++ b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceConstantDialog.java
@@ -133,7 +133,11 @@ class IntroduceConstantDialog extends DialogWrapper {
     myVisibilityPanel.add(myVPanel, BorderLayout.CENTER);
     init();
 
-    myVPanel.setVisibility(JavaRefactoringSettings.getInstance().INTRODUCE_CONSTANT_VISIBILITY);
+    String initialVisibility = JavaRefactoringSettings.getInstance().INTRODUCE_CONSTANT_VISIBILITY;
+    if (initialVisibility == null) {
+      initialVisibility = PsiModifier.PUBLIC;
+    }
+    myVPanel.setVisibility(initialVisibility);
     myIntroduceEnumConstantCb.setEnabled(isSuitableForEnumConstant());
     updateVisibilityPanel();
     updateButtons();
diff --git a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceFieldDialogPanel.java b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceFieldDialogPanel.java
index 8efa43227333..0187ebc453a3 100644
--- a/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceFieldDialogPanel.java
+++ b/java/java-impl/src/com/intellij/refactoring/introduceField/IntroduceFieldDialogPanel.java
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ public class IntroduceFieldDialogPanel extends IntroduceFieldCentralPanel {
   protected void initializeControls(PsiExpression initializerExpression, BaseExpressionToFieldHandler.InitializationPlace ourLastInitializerPlace) {
     initializeInitializerPlace(initializerExpression, ourLastInitializerPlace);
     String ourLastVisibility = JavaRefactoringSettings.getInstance().INTRODUCE_FIELD_VISIBILITY;
+    if (ourLastVisibility == null) {
+      ourLastVisibility = PsiModifier.PRIVATE;
+    }
     myVisibilityPanel.setVisibility(ourLastVisibility);
     super.initializeControls(initializerExpression, ourLastInitializerPlace);
   }