diff --git a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/search/indexing/IndexBuilder.java b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/search/indexing/IndexBuilder.java
index 785bbcb4a..c5f8633e1 100644
--- a/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/search/indexing/IndexBuilder.java
+++ b/webapp/src/edu/cornell/mannlib/vitro/webapp/search/indexing/IndexBuilder.java
@@ -150,7 +150,8 @@ public class IndexBuilder extends Thread {
             }
         }
         
-        indexer.abortIndexingAndCleanUp();
+        if( indexer != null)
+            indexer.abortIndexingAndCleanUp();
         
         if(log != null )//may be null on shutdown 
             log.info("Stopping IndexBuilder thread");