diff --git a/src/java.desktop/unix/classes/sun/awt/wl/WLToolkit.java b/src/java.desktop/unix/classes/sun/awt/wl/WLToolkit.java
index a92fdb883456..865e35e9705f 100644
--- a/src/java.desktop/unix/classes/sun/awt/wl/WLToolkit.java
+++ b/src/java.desktop/unix/classes/sun/awt/wl/WLToolkit.java
@@ -276,7 +276,9 @@ public class WLToolkit extends UNIXToolkit implements Runnable {
                     WLToolkit.awtLock();
                     try {
                         dispatchEventsOnEDT();
-                        dataDevice.performDeletionsOnEDT();
+                        if (dataDevice != null) {
+                            dataDevice.performDeletionsOnEDT();
+                        }
                     } finally {
                         eventsQueued.release();
                         WLToolkit.awtUnlock();