diff --git a/src/xpdev/ini_file.c b/src/xpdev/ini_file.c
index 1265994e20309c5b0795b0311868a15110a98b4e..7defaa5e96493cc4806f17ce471a7cc0cd7ed742 100644
--- a/src/xpdev/ini_file.c
+++ b/src/xpdev/ini_file.c
@@ -299,6 +299,8 @@ str_list_t	iniGetSection(str_list_t list, const char *section)
 	str_list_t	retval=strListInit();
 	char		*p;
 
+	if(list==NULL)
+		return(retval);
 	if(section==ROOT_SECTION)
 		i=0;
 	else