diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/socket/ARSnovaSocketIOServer.java b/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/socket/ARSnovaSocketIOServer.java
index 62b3b23ff194ce73222ca21ea16ef16c3ef7e4a6..1283b2664a73d891535dc3652c7ea0daadeb2182 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/socket/ARSnovaSocketIOServer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/socket/ARSnovaSocketIOServer.java
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ public class ARSnovaSocketIOServer implements ARSnovaSocket, NovaEventVisitor {
 					return;
 				}
 				final String oldSessionKey = userService.getSessionForUser(u.getUsername());
-				if (session.getKeyword().equals(oldSessionKey)) {
+				if (null != session.getKeyword() && session.getKeyword().equals(oldSessionKey)) {
 					return;
 				}