diff --git a/src/gov/nasa/worldwind/data/DTEDRasterReader.java b/src/gov/nasa/worldwind/data/DTEDRasterReader.java
index e632dfbb64..00339d0348 100644
--- a/src/gov/nasa/worldwind/data/DTEDRasterReader.java
+++ b/src/gov/nasa/worldwind/data/DTEDRasterReader.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ protected boolean doCanRead(Object source, AVList params)
         // Assume that a proper suffix reliably identifies a DTED file. Otherwise the file will have to be loaded
         // to determine that, and there are often tens of thousands of DTED files, which causes raster server start-up
         // times to be excessive.
-        if (this.canReadSuffix(source))
+        if (this.canReadSuffix(source) && null != params)
         {
             params.setValue(AVKey.PIXEL_FORMAT, AVKey.ELEVATION); // we know that DTED is elevation data
             return true;