diff --git a/source/net/yacy/search/query/SearchEvent.java b/source/net/yacy/search/query/SearchEvent.java
index 3232ddb39..3c79ba71c 100644
--- a/source/net/yacy/search/query/SearchEvent.java
+++ b/source/net/yacy/search/query/SearchEvent.java
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ public final class SearchEvent {
         this.IAneardhthash = null;
         this.localSearchThread = null;
         this.order = new ReferenceOrder(this.query.ranking, UTF8.getBytes(this.query.targetlang));
-        final boolean remote = peers.sizeConnected() > 0 && (this.query.domType == QueryParams.Searchdom.CLUSTER || (this.query.domType == QueryParams.Searchdom.GLOBAL && peers.mySeed().getFlagAcceptRemoteIndex()));
+        final boolean remote = (peers != null && peers.sizeConnected() > 0) && (this.query.domType == QueryParams.Searchdom.CLUSTER || (this.query.domType == QueryParams.Searchdom.GLOBAL && peers.mySeed().getFlagAcceptRemoteIndex()));
         final long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
 
         // initialize a ranking process that is the target for data