--- a/AbstractHierarchicalItem.st	Mon Feb 18 14:08:53 2019 +0100
+++ b/AbstractHierarchicalItem.st	Mon Feb 18 18:36:47 2019 +0100
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-"{ Encoding: utf8 }"
-
 "
  COPYRIGHT (c) 1999/2015 by eXept Software AG
               All Rights Reserved
@@ -1538,16 +1536,18 @@
         toCount := todo removeFirst.
         
         itsChildren := toCount getChildren.
-        count := count + itsChildren size. 
-        itsChildren do:[:each |
-            each isExpanded ifTrue:[
-                todo add:each
+        itsChildren notNil ifTrue:[
+            count := count + itsChildren size.
+            itsChildren do:[:each |
+                each isExpanded ifTrue:[
+                    todo add:each
+                ].    
             ].    
-        ].    
+        ].
     ].
     ^ count
 
-    "Modified (comment): / 13-02-2019 / 12:01:48 / Claus Gittinger"
+    "Modified: / 18-02-2019 / 18:36:17 / Claus Gittinger"
 !
 
 parentOrModel