diff --git a/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java b/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java
index b2d709a86..a0803d496 100644
--- a/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java
+++ b/main/src/com/google/refine/model/recon/StandardReconConfig.java
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ public class StandardReconConfig extends ReconConfig {
      * 	    the cell value to compare the reconciliation data to
      */
     public void computeFeatures(Recon recon, String text) {
-        if (recon.candidates != null && !recon.candidates.isEmpty()) {
+        if (recon.candidates != null && !recon.candidates.isEmpty() && text != null) {
             ReconCandidate candidate = recon.candidates.get(0);
             
             recon.setFeature(Recon.Feature_nameMatch, text.equalsIgnoreCase(candidate.name));
diff --git a/main/tests/server/src/com/google/refine/tests/model/recon/StandardReconConfigTests.java b/main/tests/server/src/com/google/refine/tests/model/recon/StandardReconConfigTests.java
index c9098b5f8..7d8862ec2 100644
--- a/main/tests/server/src/com/google/refine/tests/model/recon/StandardReconConfigTests.java
+++ b/main/tests/server/src/com/google/refine/tests/model/recon/StandardReconConfigTests.java
@@ -345,4 +345,15 @@ public class StandardReconConfigTests extends RefineTest {
     	stub.computeFeatures(recon, "my string");
     	assertNotNull(recon.features);
     }
+    
+    /**
+     * Should not happen, but added for extra safety
+     */
+    @Test
+    public void testComputeFeaturesNullText() {
+    	StandardReconConfigStub stub = new StandardReconConfigStub();
+    	Recon recon = stub.createNewRecon(2384738L);
+    	stub.computeFeatures(recon, null);
+    	assertNotNull(recon.features);
+    }
 }