diff --git a/scratchpad/HWPF/UserModel/CharacterRun.cs b/scratchpad/HWPF/UserModel/CharacterRun.cs
index dde2cd04e..671522079 100644
--- a/scratchpad/HWPF/UserModel/CharacterRun.cs
+++ b/scratchpad/HWPF/UserModel/CharacterRun.cs
@@ -592,6 +592,10 @@ public Ffn GetSymbolFont()
         {
             if (IsSymbol())
             {
+                if(_doc.GetFontTable() == null)
+                {
+                    return null;
+                }
                 Ffn[] fontNames = _doc.GetFontTable().GetFontNames();
 
                 if (fontNames.Length <= _props.GetFtcSym())