diff --git a/gnucash/import-export/import-main-matcher.c b/gnucash/import-export/import-main-matcher.c
index 2b6cb667af..9c785bb38e 100644
--- a/gnucash/import-export/import-main-matcher.c
+++ b/gnucash/import-export/import-main-matcher.c
@@ -1027,7 +1027,7 @@ setup_entry (GtkWidget *entry, gboolean sensitive, GHashTable *hash,
 
     list = gtk_list_store_new (NUM_COMPLETION_COLS, G_TYPE_STRING, G_TYPE_STRING, G_TYPE_STRING);
     g_hash_table_foreach (hash, (GHFunc)populate_list, list);
-    if (!g_hash_table_lookup (hash, (gpointer)initial))
+    if (initial && !g_hash_table_lookup (hash, (gpointer)initial))
         populate_list ((gpointer)initial, NULL, list);
     gtk_tree_sortable_set_sort_column_id (GTK_TREE_SORTABLE (list),
                                           COMPLETION_LIST_ORIGINAL,