diff --git a/src/html/winpars.cpp b/src/html/winpars.cpp
index 2e6fb654e7..b2d0137a74 100644
--- a/src/html/winpars.cpp
+++ b/src/html/winpars.cpp
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ void wxHtmlWinParser::InitParser(const wxString& source)
 
     m_Container->InsertCell(new wxHtmlColourCell(m_ActualColor));
     m_Container->InsertCell(
-            new wxHtmlColourCell(GetWindow()->GetBackgroundColour(),
+            new wxHtmlColourCell(GetWindow() ? GetWindow()->GetBackgroundColour() : *wxWHITE,
                                  wxHTML_CLR_BACKGROUND));
     m_Container->InsertCell(new wxHtmlFontCell(CreateCurrentFont()));
 }