diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Sheet.java b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Sheet.java
index 1d8995aebd..8661686682 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Sheet.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/poi/hssf/model/Sheet.java
@@ -431,9 +431,10 @@ public class Sheet implements Model
     }
 
     public int getNumMergedRegions()
-    {
-        return merged.getNumAreas();
-    }
+	{
+	    return merged!=null ? merged.getNumAreas() : 0;
+	}
+
 
     /**
      * This is basically a kludge to deal with the now obsolete Label records.  If