diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 4ce2841d..c39558e5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
  * configure.in, plugins/Makefile.am:
    Enable socket support when cross-compiling.
    Enable plugin compilation when cross-compiling.
+ * src/msgwindow.c:
+   Fix missing NULL checks when reading the colour value of compiler
+   output messages.
 
 
 2009-02-20  Frank Lanitz  <frank(at)frank(dot)uvena(dot)de>
diff --git a/src/msgwindow.c b/src/msgwindow.c
index 298e86be..5611ee32 100644
--- a/src/msgwindow.c
+++ b/src/msgwindow.c
@@ -586,9 +586,10 @@ gboolean msgwin_goto_compiler_file_line()
 	{
 		/* if the item is not coloured red, it's not an error line */
 		gtk_tree_model_get(model, &iter, 0, &color, -1);
-		if (! gdk_color_equal(color, &color_error))
+		if (color == NULL || ! gdk_color_equal(color, &color_error))
 		{
-			gdk_color_free(color);
+			if (color != NULL)
+				gdk_color_free(color);
 			return FALSE;
 		}
 		gdk_color_free(color);