diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTNode.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTNode.java
index 751128bb8ca..74d44d54a76 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTNode.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.core/parser/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/core/dom/parser/cpp/CPPASTNode.java
@@ -30,10 +30,9 @@ public class CPPASTNode extends ASTNode implements IASTNode {
     public IASTTranslationUnit getTranslationUnit() {
         if( this instanceof IASTTranslationUnit ) return (IASTTranslationUnit) this;
         IASTNode node = getParent();
-        while( ! (node instanceof IASTTranslationUnit ))
-        {
+        while(node != null && !(node instanceof IASTTranslationUnit))
             node = node.getParent();
-        }
+		
         return (IASTTranslationUnit) node;
     }
 
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/text/contentassist/DOMCompletionContributor.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/text/contentassist/DOMCompletionContributor.java
index 84283b6ff02..b290e075116 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/text/contentassist/DOMCompletionContributor.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/text/contentassist/DOMCompletionContributor.java
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ public class DOMCompletionContributor implements ICompletionContributor {
 			// Find all bindings
 			List allBindings = new ArrayList();
 			for (int i = 0; i < names.length; ++i) {
+				if (names[i].getTranslationUnit() == null)
+					// The node isn't properly hooked up, must have backtracked out of this node
+					continue;
 				IBinding[] bindings = names[i].resolvePrefix();
 				if (bindings != null)
 					for (int j = 0; j < bindings.length; ++j) {