diff --git a/src/common/datetime.c b/src/common/datetime.c
index 9ae8c3c464a7..ba691e01c0af 100644
--- a/src/common/datetime.c
+++ b/src/common/datetime.c
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ GTimeSpan dt_datetime_now_to_gtimespan(void)
 void dt_datetime_exif_to_img(dt_image_t *img,
                              const char *exif)
 {
-  if(!exif) return;
+  if(!exif || !img) return;
   GDateTime *gdt = dt_datetime_exif_to_gdatetime(exif, darktable.utc_tz);
   if(gdt)
   {
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ gboolean dt_datetime_img_to_exif(char *exif,
                                  const size_t exif_size,
                                  const dt_image_t *img)
 {
-  return dt_datetime_gtimespan_to_exif(exif, exif_size, img->exif_datetime_taken);
+  return img ? dt_datetime_gtimespan_to_exif(exif, exif_size, img->exif_datetime_taken) : FALSE;
 }
 
 GDateTime *dt_datetime_exif_to_gdatetime(const char *exif,
diff --git a/src/common/exif.cc b/src/common/exif.cc
index 18e7c98034e1..fef85f1bcdf9 100644
--- a/src/common/exif.cc
+++ b/src/common/exif.cc
@@ -2161,6 +2161,11 @@ static bool _exif_decode_exif_data(dt_image_t *img, Exiv2::ExifData &exifData)
 
 void dt_exif_apply_default_metadata(dt_image_t *img)
 {
+  if(!img)
+  {
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_ALWAYS, "[dt_exif_apply_default_metadata] failed as no img was provided");
+    return;
+  }
   if(dt_conf_get_bool("ui_last/import_apply_metadata")
      && !(img->job_flags & DT_IMAGE_JOB_NO_METADATA))
   {
@@ -2224,6 +2229,11 @@ gboolean dt_exif_read_from_blob(dt_image_t *img,
                                 uint8_t *blob,
                                 const int size)
 {
+  if(!img)
+  {
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_ALWAYS, "[exiv2 dt_exif_read_from_blob] failed as no img was provided");
+    return TRUE;
+  }
   try
   {
     Exiv2::ExifData exifData;
@@ -2305,6 +2315,11 @@ gboolean dt_exif_get_thumbnail(const char *path,
 gboolean dt_exif_read(dt_image_t *img,
                       const char *path)
 {
+  if(!img)
+  {
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_ALWAYS, "[dt_exif_read] failed as no img was provided");
+    return TRUE;
+  }
   // At least set 'datetime taken' to something useful in case there is
   // no Exif data in this file (pfm, png, ...)
   struct stat statbuf;
@@ -2762,7 +2777,7 @@ int dt_exif_read_blob(uint8_t **buf,
       // GPS data
       _remove_exif_geotag(exifData);
       const dt_image_t *cimg = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, imgid, 'r');
-      if(!std::isnan(cimg->geoloc.longitude) && !std::isnan(cimg->geoloc.latitude))
+      if(cimg && !std::isnan(cimg->geoloc.longitude) && !std::isnan(cimg->geoloc.latitude))
       {
         exifData["Exif.GPSInfo.GPSVersionID"] = "02 02 00 00";
         exifData["Exif.GPSInfo.GPSLongitudeRef"] = (cimg->geoloc.longitude < 0) ? "W" : "E";
@@ -2783,7 +2798,7 @@ int dt_exif_read_blob(uint8_t **buf,
         g_free(long_str);
         g_free(lat_str);
       }
-      if(!std::isnan(cimg->geoloc.elevation))
+      if(cimg && !std::isnan(cimg->geoloc.elevation))
       {
         exifData["Exif.GPSInfo.GPSVersionID"] = "02 02 00 00";
         exifData["Exif.GPSInfo.GPSAltitudeRef"] = (cimg->geoloc.elevation < 0) ? "1" : "0";
@@ -3785,6 +3800,11 @@ gboolean dt_exif_xmp_read(dt_image_t *img,
                           const char *filename,
                           const int history_only)
 {
+  if(!img)
+  {
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_ALWAYS, "[dt_exif_xmp_read] failed as no img was provided for '%s'", filename);
+    return TRUE;
+  }
   // Exclude pfm to avoid stupid errors on the console
   const char *c = filename + strlen(filename) - 4;
   if(c >= filename && !strcmp(c, ".pfm")) return TRUE;
diff --git a/src/common/grouping.c b/src/common/grouping.c
index c2ebba6ba438..1e1ddf4c74a9 100644
--- a/src/common/grouping.c
+++ b/src/common/grouping.c
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ void dt_grouping_add_to_group(const dt_imgid_t group_id,
   dt_grouping_remove_from_group(image_id);
 
   dt_image_t *img = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, image_id, 'w');
+  if(!img) return;
   img->group_id = group_id;
   dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, img,
                                     DT_IMAGE_CACHE_SAFE, "dt_grouping_add_to_group");
@@ -65,7 +66,7 @@ dt_imgid_t dt_grouping_remove_from_group(const dt_imgid_t image_id)
   GList *imgs = NULL;
 
   const dt_image_t *img = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, image_id, 'r');
-  const int img_group_id = img->group_id;
+  const dt_imgid_t img_group_id = img ? img->group_id : NO_IMGID;
   dt_image_cache_read_release(darktable.image_cache, img);
   if(img_group_id == image_id)
   {
@@ -84,10 +85,13 @@ dt_imgid_t dt_grouping_remove_from_group(const dt_imgid_t image_id)
       if(!dt_is_valid_imgid(new_group_id))
         new_group_id = other_id;
       dt_image_t *other_img = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, other_id, 'w');
-      other_img->group_id = new_group_id;
-      dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, other_img,
+      if(other_img)
+      {
+        other_img->group_id = new_group_id;
+        dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, other_img,
                                         DT_IMAGE_CACHE_SAFE, "dt_grouping_add_to_group");
-      imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(other_id));
+        imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(other_id));
+      }
     }
     sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
     if(dt_is_valid_imgid(new_group_id))
@@ -122,13 +126,15 @@ dt_imgid_t dt_grouping_remove_from_group(const dt_imgid_t image_id)
   {
     // change the group_id for this image.
     dt_image_t *wimg = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, image_id, 'w');
-    new_group_id = wimg->group_id;
-    wimg->group_id = image_id;
-    dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, wimg,
+    if(wimg)
+    {
+      new_group_id = wimg->group_id;
+      wimg->group_id = image_id;
+      dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, wimg,
                                       DT_IMAGE_CACHE_SAFE, "dt_grouping_add_to_group");
-    imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(image_id));
-    // refresh also the group leader which may be alone now
-    imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(img_group_id));
+      imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(image_id));
+      // refresh also the group leader which may be alone now
+      imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(img_group_id));
 #ifdef USE_LUA
     dt_lua_async_call_alien(dt_lua_event_trigger_wrapper,
       0, NULL, NULL,
@@ -138,6 +144,7 @@ dt_imgid_t dt_grouping_remove_from_group(const dt_imgid_t image_id)
       LUA_ASYNC_TYPENAME, "dt_lua_image_t", GINT_TO_POINTER(img_group_id),
       LUA_ASYNC_DONE);
 #endif
+    }
   }
   DT_CONTROL_SIGNAL_RAISE(DT_SIGNAL_IMAGE_INFO_CHANGED, imgs);
 
@@ -150,8 +157,10 @@ dt_imgid_t dt_grouping_change_representative(const dt_imgid_t image_id)
   sqlite3_stmt *stmt;
 
   dt_image_t *img = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, image_id, 'r');
-  const dt_imgid_t group_id = img->group_id;
+  const dt_imgid_t group_id = img ? img->group_id : NO_IMGID;
   dt_image_cache_read_release(darktable.image_cache, img);
+ if(!dt_is_valid_imgid(group_id))
+    return group_id;
 
   GList *imgs = NULL;
   DT_DEBUG_SQLITE3_PREPARE_V2(dt_database_get(darktable.db), "SELECT id FROM main.images WHERE group_id = ?1", -1,
@@ -161,11 +170,14 @@ dt_imgid_t dt_grouping_change_representative(const dt_imgid_t image_id)
   {
     const dt_imgid_t other_id = sqlite3_column_int(stmt, 0);
     dt_image_t *other_img = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, other_id, 'w');
-    other_img->group_id = image_id;
-    dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, other_img,
+    if(other_img)
+    {
+      other_img->group_id = image_id;
+      dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, other_img,
                                       DT_IMAGE_CACHE_SAFE,
                                       "dt_grouping_change_representative");
-    imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(other_id));
+      imgs = g_list_prepend(imgs, GINT_TO_POINTER(other_id));
+    }
   }
   sqlite3_finalize(stmt);
   DT_CONTROL_SIGNAL_RAISE(DT_SIGNAL_IMAGE_INFO_CHANGED, imgs);
diff --git a/src/common/image.c b/src/common/image.c
index 55fd284805fd..239e08d1e016 100644
--- a/src/common/image.c
+++ b/src/common/image.c
@@ -1100,11 +1100,11 @@ void dt_image_set_raw_aspect_ratio(const dt_imgid_t imgid)
       image->aspect_ratio = (float )image->p_width / (float )(MAX(1, image->p_height));
     else
       image->aspect_ratio = (float )image->p_height / (float )(MAX(1, image->p_width));
-  }
-  /* store */
-  dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, image,
+    /* store */
+    dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, image,
                                     DT_IMAGE_CACHE_SAFE,
                                     "dt_image_set_raw_aspect_ratio");
+  }
 }
 
 void dt_image_set_aspect_ratio_to(const dt_imgid_t imgid,
@@ -1163,17 +1163,19 @@ void dt_image_reset_aspect_ratio(const dt_imgid_t imgid, const gboolean raise)
   dt_image_t *image = dt_image_cache_get(darktable.image_cache, imgid, 'w');
 
   /* set image aspect ratio */
-  if(image) image->aspect_ratio = 0.f;
-
-  /* store in db, but don't synch XMP */
-  dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, image,
+  if(image)
+  {
+    image->aspect_ratio = 0.f;
+    /* store in db, but don't synch XMP */
+    dt_image_cache_write_release_info(darktable.image_cache, image,
                                     DT_IMAGE_CACHE_RELAXED,
                                     "dt_image_reset_aspect_ratio");
 
-  if(image && raise && darktable.collection->params.sorts[DT_COLLECTION_SORT_ASPECT_RATIO])
+  if(raise && darktable.collection->params.sorts[DT_COLLECTION_SORT_ASPECT_RATIO])
     dt_collection_update_query(darktable.collection, DT_COLLECTION_CHANGE_RELOAD,
                                DT_COLLECTION_PROP_ASPECT_RATIO,
                                g_list_prepend(NULL, GINT_TO_POINTER(imgid)));
+  }
 }
 
 float dt_image_set_aspect_ratio(const dt_imgid_t imgid, const gboolean raise)
diff --git a/src/imageio/imageio_rawspeed.cc b/src/imageio/imageio_rawspeed.cc
index 77450d9112f1..f9b4476e9c30 100644
--- a/src/imageio/imageio_rawspeed.cc
+++ b/src/imageio/imageio_rawspeed.cc
@@ -168,6 +168,13 @@ dt_imageio_retval_t dt_imageio_open_rawspeed(dt_image_t *img,
   if(_ignore_image(filename))
     return DT_IMAGEIO_UNSUPPORTED_FORMAT;
 
+  if(!img)
+  {
+    dt_print(DT_DEBUG_ALWAYS, "[dt_imageio_open_rawspeed] failed to get dt_image_t for '%s' at %p",
+      filename, mbuf);
+    return DT_IMAGEIO_LOAD_FAILED;
+  }
+
   if(!img->exif_inited)
     (void)dt_exif_read(img, filename);