diff --git a/plugins/tasklist/tasklist-widget.c b/plugins/tasklist/tasklist-widget.c
index 0bce1b6..3e52d55 100644
--- a/plugins/tasklist/tasklist-widget.c
+++ b/plugins/tasklist/tasklist-widget.c
@@ -2208,6 +2208,12 @@ xfce_tasklist_button_compare (gconstpointer child_a,
           if (G_UNLIKELY (exo_str_is_empty (name_b)))
             name_b = wnck_window_get_name (b->window);
 
+          /* wnck*_get_name() may fail and return NULL (bug 7076) */
+          if (G_UNLIKELY (!name_a))
+            name_a = "";
+          if (G_UNLIKELY (!name_b))
+            name_b = "";
+
           retval = strcasecmp (name_a, name_b);
           if (retval != 0)
             return retval;
@@ -2231,14 +2237,16 @@ xfce_tasklist_button_compare (gconstpointer child_a,
         name_a = wnck_window_get_name (a->window);
       else if (a->class_group != NULL)
         name_a = wnck_class_group_get_name (a->class_group);
-      else
-        name_a = "";
 
       if (b->window != NULL)
         name_b = wnck_window_get_name (b->window);
       else if (b->class_group != NULL)
         name_b = wnck_class_group_get_name (b->class_group);
-      else
+
+      /* wnck*_get_name() may fail and return NULL (bug 7076) */
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (!name_a))
+        name_a = "";
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (!name_b))
         name_b = "";
 
       return strcasecmp (name_a, name_b);