diff --git a/src/ChangeLog b/src/ChangeLog
index ea2638efdf..96540e254d 100644
--- a/src/ChangeLog
+++ b/src/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+2003-11-24  Alfredo Braunstein  <abraunst@lyx.org>
+
+	* converter.C (convert): fix a crash: this function gets
+	called with buffer == 0 from importer code.
+
 2003-11-22  Lars Gullik Bjonnes  <larsbj@gullik.net>
 
 	* text3.C (cursorPrevious): make sure that we do not compare
diff --git a/src/converter.C b/src/converter.C
index 906678fe1a..82f74c372a 100644
--- a/src/converter.C
+++ b/src/converter.C
@@ -355,7 +355,9 @@ bool Converters::convert(Buffer const * buffer,
 						      dvipdfm_options(buffer->params()));
 
 			lyxerr[Debug::FILES] << "Calling " << command << endl;
-			buffer->message(_("Executing command: ") + command);
+			if (buffer)
+				buffer->message(_("Executing command: ")
+					+ command);
 
 			Systemcall::Starttype type = (dummy)
 				? Systemcall::DontWait : Systemcall::Wait;