diff --git a/dlls/uxtheme/msstyles.c b/dlls/uxtheme/msstyles.c
index 4b150de76fa..d818eb94c32 100644
--- a/dlls/uxtheme/msstyles.c
+++ b/dlls/uxtheme/msstyles.c
@@ -215,7 +215,8 @@ HRESULT MSSTYLES_SetActiveTheme(PTHEME_FILE tf)
     if(tfActiveTheme)
         MSSTYLES_CloseThemeFile(tfActiveTheme);
     tfActiveTheme = tf;
-    tfActiveTheme->dwRefCount++;
+    if (tfActiveTheme)
+	tfActiveTheme->dwRefCount++;
     return S_OK;
 }