diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Base Implementations/BasicServiceProvider.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Base Implementations/BasicServiceProvider.cs
index a3ff16a114..b2b4e7163b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Base Implementations/BasicServiceProvider.cs	
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Common/Base Implementations/BasicServiceProvider.cs	
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Common
 		public void Register<T>(T provider)
 			where T : IEmulatorService
 		{
+			if (provider == null)
+				throw new ArgumentNullException("provider");
 			Services[typeof(T)] = provider;
 		}
 
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs
index c5c4a50439..39fed6f25b 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation.Cores/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Cores.Nintendo.NES
 
 			if (board is BANDAI_FCG_1)
 			{
-				(ServiceProvider as BasicServiceProvider).Register<DatachBarcode>((board as BANDAI_FCG_1).reader);
+				var reader = (board as BANDAI_FCG_1).reader;
+				// not all BANDAI FCG 1 boards have a barcode reader
+				if (reader != null)
+					(ServiceProvider as BasicServiceProvider).Register<DatachBarcode>(reader);
 			}
 		}