diff --git a/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c b/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c
index a993c32299..60a79077e6 100644
--- a/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c
+++ b/gnucash/import-export/import-backend.c
@@ -875,23 +875,33 @@ update_desc_and_notes (const GNCImportTransInfo* trans_info)
 
     if (trans_info->append_text)
     {
-        gchar* desc_imported = g_utf8_normalize (xaccTransGetDescription (
-            imp_trans), -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL);
-        gchar* desc_matched = g_utf8_normalize (xaccTransGetDescription (
-            selected_match->trans), -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL);
-        gchar* note_imported = g_utf8_normalize (xaccTransGetNotes (
-                imp_trans), -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL);
-        gchar* note_matched = g_utf8_normalize (xaccTransGetNotes (
-            selected_match->trans), -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL);
+        gchar *desc_imported, *desc_matched, *note_imported, *note_matched;
+        const gchar* raw_str = xaccTransGetDescription (imp_trans);
+
+        desc_imported =
+            raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
+        raw_str = xaccTransGetDescription (selected_match->trans);
+        desc_matched =
+            raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
+        raw_str = xaccTransGetNotes (imp_trans);
+        note_imported =
+            raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
+        raw_str = xaccTransGetNotes (selected_match->trans);
+        note_matched = 
+           raw_str ? g_utf8_normalize (raw_str, -1, G_NORMALIZE_ALL) : NULL;
 
         // Append if desc_imported not already in desc_matched
-        if (g_utf8_strlen (desc_imported, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (desc_matched, -1) ||
-            !strstr (desc_matched, desc_imported))
+        if (desc_imported &&
+            (!desc_matched ||
+             g_utf8_strlen (desc_imported, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (desc_matched, -1) ||
+             !strstr (desc_matched, desc_imported)))
             desc_append (selected_match->trans, imp_trans);
 
         // Append if note_imported not already in note_matched
-        if (g_utf8_strlen (note_imported, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (note_matched, -1) ||
-            !strstr (note_matched, note_imported))
+        if (note_imported &&
+            (!note_matched ||
+             g_utf8_strlen (note_imported, -1) > g_utf8_strlen (note_matched, -1) ||
+             !strstr (note_matched, note_imported)))
             notes_append (selected_match->trans, imp_trans);
 
         g_free(desc_imported);