diff --git a/source/Components/Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock/Controls/LayoutItem.cs b/source/Components/Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock/Controls/LayoutItem.cs
index 8e83d835..ab2f7b7e 100644
--- a/source/Components/Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock/Controls/LayoutItem.cs
+++ b/source/Components/Xceed.Wpf.AvalonDock/Controls/LayoutItem.cs
@@ -94,9 +94,15 @@ public ContentPresenter View
           _view = new ContentPresenter();
 
           _view.SetBinding( ContentPresenter.ContentProperty, new Binding( "Content" ) { Source = LayoutElement } );
-          _view.SetBinding( ContentPresenter.ContentTemplateProperty, new Binding( "LayoutItemTemplate" ) { Source = LayoutElement.Root.Manager } );
-          _view.SetBinding( ContentPresenter.ContentTemplateSelectorProperty, new Binding( "LayoutItemTemplateSelector" ) { Source = LayoutElement.Root.Manager } );
-          LayoutElement.Root.Manager.InternalAddLogicalChild( _view );
+          if( ( LayoutElement != null ) && ( LayoutElement.Root != null ) )
+          {
+            _view.SetBinding( ContentPresenter.ContentTemplateProperty, new Binding( "LayoutItemTemplate" ) { Source = LayoutElement.Root.Manager } );
+            _view.SetBinding( ContentPresenter.ContentTemplateSelectorProperty, new Binding( "LayoutItemTemplateSelector" ) { Source = LayoutElement.Root.Manager } );
+            if( LayoutElement.Root.Manager != null )
+            {
+              LayoutElement.Root.Manager.InternalAddLogicalChild( _view );
+            }
+          }
         }
 
         return _view;