diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarController.java b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarController.java
index 09f8045..16cdfaa 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarController.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarController.java
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@
 
     /** @return {@link AssistHandleViewController} (only on the default display). */
     public AssistHandleViewController getAssistHandlerViewController() {
-        return getDefaultNavigationBarFragment().getAssistHandlerViewController();
+        NavigationBarFragment navBar = getDefaultNavigationBarFragment();
+        return navBar == null ? null : navBar.getAssistHandlerViewController();
     }
 }
diff --git a/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarControllerTest.java b/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarControllerTest.java
index 7d2ccdc..618272c 100644
--- a/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarControllerTest.java
+++ b/packages/SystemUI/tests/src/com/android/systemui/statusbar/NavigationBarControllerTest.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.doReturn;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.reset;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.spy;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
@@ -240,4 +241,10 @@
 
         verify(mSecondaryNavBar).disableAnimationsDuringHide(eq(500L));
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testGetAssistHandlerViewController_noCrash() {
+        reset(mNavigationBarController.mNavigationBars);
+        mNavigationBarController.getAssistHandlerViewController();
+    }
 }