diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/MailboxListFragment.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/MailboxListFragment.java
index 79aac6897..d475318de 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/MailboxListFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/MailboxListFragment.java
@@ -221,6 +221,8 @@ public class MailboxListFragment extends ListFragment implements OnItemClickList
 
     /**
      * Create a new instance with initialization parameters.
+     *
+     * This fragment should be created only with this method.  (Arguments should always be set.)
      */
     public static MailboxListFragment newInstance(long accountId, long parentMailboxId) {
         final MailboxListFragment instance = new MailboxListFragment();
@@ -275,7 +277,10 @@ public class MailboxListFragment extends ListFragment implements OnItemClickList
         registerForContextMenu(mListView);
 
         final Bundle args = getArguments();
-        openMailboxes(args.getLong(ARG_ACCOUNT_ID), args.getLong(ARG_PARENT_MAILBOX_ID));
+        // STOPSHIP remove the check.  Right now it's needed for the obsolete phone activities.
+        if (args != null) {
+            openMailboxes(args.getLong(ARG_ACCOUNT_ID), args.getLong(ARG_PARENT_MAILBOX_ID));
+        }
     }
 
     public void setCallback(Callback callback) {
diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListFragment.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListFragment.java
index b61b2b5f4..f556a9e85 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageListFragment.java
@@ -236,6 +236,8 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends ListFragment
 
     /**
      * Create a new instance with initialization parameters.
+     *
+     * This fragment should be created only with this method.  (Arguments should always be set.)
      */
     public static MessageListFragment newInstance(long mailboxId) {
         final MessageListFragment instance = new MessageListFragment();
@@ -293,7 +295,10 @@ public class MessageListFragment extends ListFragment
         }
 
         final Bundle args = getArguments();
-        openMailbox(args.getLong(ARG_MAILBOX_ID));
+        // STOPSHIP remove the check.  Right now it's needed for the obsolete phone activities.
+        if (args != null) {
+            openMailbox(args.getLong(ARG_MAILBOX_ID));
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragment.java b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragment.java
index fbfe735d2..6f8834772 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragment.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/activity/MessageViewFragment.java
@@ -141,6 +141,8 @@ public class MessageViewFragment extends MessageViewFragmentBase
 
     /**
      * Create a new instance with initialization parameters.
+     *
+     * This fragment should be created only with this method.  (Arguments should always be set.)
      */
     public static MessageViewFragment newInstance(long messageId) {
         final MessageViewFragment instance = new MessageViewFragment();
@@ -194,7 +196,10 @@ public class MessageViewFragment extends MessageViewFragmentBase
         super.onActivityCreated(savedInstanceState);
 
         final Bundle args = getArguments();
-        openMessage(args.getLong(ARG_MESSAGE_ID));
+        // STOPSHIP remove the check.  Right now it's needed for the obsolete phone activities.
+        if (args != null) {
+            openMessage(args.getLong(ARG_MESSAGE_ID));
+        }
     }
 
     @Override