diff --git a/mozilla/view/src/nsViewManager.cpp b/mozilla/view/src/nsViewManager.cpp
index 9bf96e70d16..69a729fc3ec 100644
--- a/mozilla/view/src/nsViewManager.cpp
+++ b/mozilla/view/src/nsViewManager.cpp
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ printf("unable to get rc\n");
 
 void nsViewManager :: Composite()
 {
-  if (mDirtyRect.IsEmpty() == PR_FALSE)
+  if ((nsnull != mRootView) && (mDirtyRect.IsEmpty() == PR_FALSE))
     Refresh(mRootView, nsnull, &mDirtyRect, NS_VMREFRESH_DOUBLE_BUFFER);
 }