diff --git a/Magick++/lib/Image.cpp b/Magick++/lib/Image.cpp
index 9ed98a2..53ff076 100644
--- a/Magick++/lib/Image.cpp
+++ b/Magick++/lib/Image.cpp
@@ -2734,7 +2734,10 @@
    MagickCore::Image* image = GetImageMask( constImage(), &exceptionInfo );
    throwException( exceptionInfo );
    (void) DestroyExceptionInfo( &exceptionInfo );
-   return Magick::Image( image );
+   if (image == (MagickCore::Image *) NULL)
+     return Magick::Image();
+   else
+     return Magick::Image( image );
 }
 
 void Magick::Image::colorFuzz ( const double fuzz_ )