diff --git a/src/NWindow.cc b/src/NWindow.cc
index 57322c2..fedf798 100644
--- a/src/NWindow.cc
+++ b/src/NWindow.cc
@@ -184,7 +184,10 @@ void NWindow::sighandle_click_apply (void) {
 void NWindow::apply_bg () {
 
     // find out which image is currently selected
-    Gtk::TreeModel::iterator iter = view.get_selected ();
+    Gtk::TreeModel::iterator iter = view.get_selected();
+    if (!iter)
+        return;
+
     Gtk::TreeModel::Row row = *iter;
     Glib::ustring file = row[view.record.Filename];
     bool saveToConfig = this->set_bg(file);
diff --git a/src/Thumbview.cc b/src/Thumbview.cc
index 51eb326..da29674 100644
--- a/src/Thumbview.cc
+++ b/src/Thumbview.cc
@@ -624,6 +624,9 @@ Gtk::TreeModel::iterator Thumbview::get_selected()
     if (m_curmode == ICON)
     {
         std::list<Gtk::TreePath> selected = iview.get_selected_items();
+        if (selected.size() == 0)
+            return store->children().end();
+
         return store->get_iter(*(selected.begin()));
     }
     else