diff --git a/src/backend/sql/gnc-transaction-sql.c b/src/backend/sql/gnc-transaction-sql.c
index 30f8431da2..e5c7a974ff 100644
--- a/src/backend/sql/gnc-transaction-sql.c
+++ b/src/backend/sql/gnc-transaction-sql.c
@@ -1274,6 +1274,7 @@ load_tx_guid( const GncSqlBackend* be, GncSqlRow* row,
     const GValue* val;
     GUID guid;
 	Transaction* tx;
+	const gchar* guid_str;
 
 	g_return_if_fail( be != NULL );
 	g_return_if_fail( row != NULL );
@@ -1282,28 +1283,31 @@ load_tx_guid( const GncSqlBackend* be, GncSqlRow* row,
 
     val = gnc_sql_row_get_value_at_col_name( row, table_row->col_name );
 	g_assert( val != NULL );
-    (void)string_to_guid( g_value_get_string( val ), &guid );
-	tx = xaccTransLookup( &guid, be->primary_book );
-
-	// If the transaction is not found, try loading it
-	if( tx == NULL ) {
-		gchar* buf;
-		GncSqlStatement* stmt;
-
-		buf = g_strdup_printf( "SELECT * FROM %s WHERE guid='%s'",
-                               TRANSACTION_TABLE, g_value_get_string( val ) );
-		stmt = gnc_sql_create_statement_from_sql( (GncSqlBackend*)be, buf );
-		g_free( buf );
-		query_transactions( (GncSqlBackend*)be, stmt );
+	guid_str = g_value_get_string(val);
+	if( guid_str != NULL ) {
+		(void)string_to_guid( guid_str, &guid );
 	    tx = xaccTransLookup( &guid, be->primary_book );
-	}
 
-	if( tx != NULL ) {
-        if( table_row->gobj_param_name != NULL ) {
-		    g_object_set( pObject, table_row->gobj_param_name, tx, NULL );
-        } else {
-		    g_return_if_fail( setter != NULL );
-		    (*setter)( pObject, (const gpointer)tx );
+	    // If the transaction is not found, try loading it
+	    if( tx == NULL ) {
+		    gchar* buf;
+		    GncSqlStatement* stmt;
+
+		    buf = g_strdup_printf( "SELECT * FROM %s WHERE guid='%s'",
+                                   TRANSACTION_TABLE, guid_str );
+		    stmt = gnc_sql_create_statement_from_sql( (GncSqlBackend*)be, buf );
+		    g_free( buf );
+		    query_transactions( (GncSqlBackend*)be, stmt );
+	        tx = xaccTransLookup( &guid, be->primary_book );
+	    }
+
+	    if( tx != NULL ) {
+            if( table_row->gobj_param_name != NULL ) {
+		        g_object_set( pObject, table_row->gobj_param_name, tx, NULL );
+            } else {
+		        g_return_if_fail( setter != NULL );
+		        (*setter)( pObject, (const gpointer)tx );
+			}
 		}
     }
 }