diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/IndexToASTNameHelper.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/IndexToASTNameHelper.java
index c32dae7cfbb..fe18b022cb4 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/IndexToASTNameHelper.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/refactoring/IndexToASTNameHelper.java
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ public class IndexToASTNameHelper {
 		} else if (!(name instanceof IIndexName)) {
 			return null;
 		}
+		
+		if (tu == null) {
+			return null;
+		}
 
 		IndexNameToAstNameMatcher visitor = new IndexNameToAstNameMatcher(tu, (IIndexName) name, index);
 		tu.accept(visitor);