diff --git a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hslf/model/Shape.java b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hslf/model/Shape.java
index 88c0b19fd..ef4c4c8a6 100644
--- a/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hslf/model/Shape.java
+++ b/src/scratchpad/src/org/apache/poi/hslf/model/Shape.java
@@ -381,10 +381,11 @@ public abstract class Shape {
         boolean fSchemeIndex = (a & (1 << 3)) != 0;
         boolean fSysIndex = (a & (1 << 4)) != 0;
 
-        if (fSchemeIndex)
+        Sheet sheet = getSheet();
+        if (fSchemeIndex && sheet != null)
         {
             //red is the index to the color scheme
-            ColorSchemeAtom ca = getSheet().getColorScheme();
+            ColorSchemeAtom ca = sheet.getColorScheme();
             int schemeColor = ca.getColor(r);
 
             r = (schemeColor >> 0) & 0xFF;