diff --git a/vcl/source/edit/vclmedit.cxx b/vcl/source/edit/vclmedit.cxx
index d69b3a64ea81..fe768e83956b 100644
--- a/vcl/source/edit/vclmedit.cxx
+++ b/vcl/source/edit/vclmedit.cxx
@@ -1088,6 +1088,9 @@ void VclMultiLineEdit::SetReadOnly( bool bReadOnly )
 
 bool VclMultiLineEdit::IsReadOnly() const
 {
+    if (!pImpVclMEdit)  // might be called from within the dtor, when pImpVclMEdit == NULL is a valid state
+        return true;
+
     return pImpVclMEdit->IsReadOnly();
 }