diff --git a/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/services/QuestionService.java b/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/services/QuestionService.java
index 5909cd4498480e3614d1fee94b71949a7ec9368a..0607ac273da418af82f3d12c982a5a35692fa4a2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/services/QuestionService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/de/thm/arsnova/services/QuestionService.java
@@ -270,7 +270,9 @@ public class QuestionService implements IQuestionService, ApplicationEventPublis
 	@PreAuthorize("isAuthenticated()")
 	public int getAnswerCount(final String questionId) {
 		final Question question = getQuestion(questionId);
-
+		if (question == null) {
+			return 0;
+		}
 		return databaseDao.getAnswerCount(question, question.getPiRound());
 	}