diff --git a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java
index 284bc03323..12b071d77c 100644
--- a/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java
+++ b/quickstep/src/com/android/quickstep/TaskViewUtils.java
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ public final class TaskViewUtils {
 
         RemoteTargetHandle[] remoteTargetHandles;
         RemoteTargetHandle[] recentsViewHandles = recentsView.getRemoteTargetHandles();
-        if (v.isRunningTask()) {
+        if (v.isRunningTask() && recentsViewHandles != null) {
             // Re-use existing handles
             remoteTargetHandles = recentsViewHandles;
         } else {