diff --git a/ui/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/ui/service/project/internal/ProjectServiceImpl.java b/ui/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/ui/service/project/internal/ProjectServiceImpl.java
index 2be0c2c32e..db13d1ff9e 100644
--- a/ui/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/ui/service/project/internal/ProjectServiceImpl.java
+++ b/ui/plugins/eu.esdihumboldt.hale.ui/src/eu/esdihumboldt/hale/ui/service/project/internal/ProjectServiceImpl.java
@@ -930,7 +930,11 @@ private boolean changeCheck() {
 
 			@Override
 			public void run() {
-				MessageBox mb = new MessageBox(display.getActiveShell(),
+				Shell shell = display.getActiveShell();
+				if (shell == null) {
+					shell = PlatformUI.getWorkbench().getActiveWorkbenchWindow().getShell();
+				}
+				MessageBox mb = new MessageBox(shell,
 						SWT.YES | SWT.NO | SWT.CANCEL | SWT.ICON_QUESTION);
 				mb.setMessage("Save changes to the current project?"); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				mb.setText("Unsaved changes"); //$NON-NLS-1$