diff -Naur a/src/xfdesktop-file-icon-manager.c b/src/xfdesktop-file-icon-manager.c
--- a/src/xfdesktop-file-icon-manager.c
+++ b/src/xfdesktop-file-icon-manager.c
@@ -1943,6 +1943,9 @@
     
     icon = xfdesktop_regular_file_icon_new(info, fmanager->priv->gscreen);
     
+    if (!icon)
+        return NULL;
+
     if(xfdesktop_file_icon_manager_add_icon(fmanager,
                                              XFDESKTOP_FILE_ICON(icon),
                                              defer_if_missing))
@@ -1966,6 +1969,9 @@
     
     icon = xfdesktop_volume_icon_new(volume, fmanager->priv->gscreen);
     
+    if (!icon)
+        return NULL;
+
     if(xfdesktop_file_icon_manager_add_icon(fmanager,
                                             XFDESKTOP_FILE_ICON(icon),
                                             FALSE))
@@ -1986,7 +1992,10 @@
     XfdesktopSpecialFileIcon *icon;
     
     icon = xfdesktop_special_file_icon_new(type, fmanager->priv->gscreen);
-    
+
+    if (!icon)
+        return NULL;
+
     if(xfdesktop_file_icon_manager_add_icon(fmanager,
                                             XFDESKTOP_FILE_ICON(icon),
                                             FALSE))