diff --git a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamSearch.cs b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamSearch.cs
index bf65cdfe49..9ba5862b18 100644
--- a/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamSearch.cs
+++ b/src/BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk/tools/Watch/RamSearch.cs
@@ -305,6 +305,8 @@ namespace BizHawk.Client.EmuHawk
 
 		public override void Restart()
 		{
+			if (!IsHandleCreated) return;
+
 			_settings = new SearchEngineSettings(MemoryDomains, Settings.UseUndoHistory);
 			_searches = new RamSearchEngine(_settings, MemoryDomains);
 			MessageLabel.Text = "Search restarted";