diff --git a/src/com/android/email/mail/store/ImapConnection.java b/src/com/android/email/mail/store/ImapConnection.java
index 972eda2c1..5fdf9b0d5 100644
--- a/src/com/android/email/mail/store/ImapConnection.java
+++ b/src/com/android/email/mail/store/ImapConnection.java
@@ -280,6 +280,9 @@ class ImapConnection {
 
     String sendCommandInternal(String command, boolean sensitive)
             throws MessagingException, IOException {
+        if (mTransport == null) {
+            throw new IOException("Null transport");
+        }
         String tag = Integer.toString(mNextCommandTag.incrementAndGet());
         String commandToSend = tag + " " + command;
         mTransport.writeLine(commandToSend, sensitive ? IMAP_REDACTED_LOG : null);
@@ -287,7 +290,6 @@ class ImapConnection {
         return tag;
     }
 
-
     /**
      * Send a single, complex command to the server.  The command will be preceded by an IMAP
      * command tag and followed by \r\n (caller need not supply them).  After each piece of the