diff --git a/src/plugins/scxmleditor/common/structuremodel.cpp b/src/plugins/scxmleditor/common/structuremodel.cpp
index a0ee760547a..f7b2e563e98 100644
--- a/src/plugins/scxmleditor/common/structuremodel.cpp
+++ b/src/plugins/scxmleditor/common/structuremodel.cpp
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ QModelIndex StructureModel::parent(const QModelIndex &index) const
         return QModelIndex();
 
     const ScxmlTag *child = getItem(index);
-    if (child != m_document->rootTag()) {
+    if (child && child != m_document->rootTag()) {
         ScxmlTag *parentTag = child->parentTag();
         if (parentTag)
             return createIndex(parentTag->index(), 0, parentTag);