diff --git a/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs b/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs
index ae9fade246..aa10a779e4 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Client.Common/RomLoader.cs
@@ -270,7 +270,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.Common
 							{
 								string discHash = new DiscHasher(disc).Calculate_PSX_BizIDHash().ToString("X8");
 								game = Database.CheckDatabase(discHash);
-								if (game.IsRomStatusBad() || game.Status == RomStatus.NotInDatabase)
+								if (game == null || game.IsRomStatusBad() || game.Status == RomStatus.NotInDatabase)
 									sw.WriteLine("Disc could not be identified as known-good. Look for a better rip.");
 								else
 								{