diff --git a/kmcommands.cpp b/kmcommands.cpp
index c2a9e1aeb..0c1c605eb 100644
--- a/kmcommands.cpp
+++ b/kmcommands.cpp
@@ -170,7 +170,8 @@ KMCommand::KMCommand( QWidget *parent, KMMessage *msg )
   : mProgressDialog( 0 ), mResult( Undefined ), mDeletesItself( false ),
     mEmitsCompletedItself( false ), mParent( parent )
 {
-  mMsgList.append( &msg->toMsgBase() );
+  if (msg)
+    mMsgList.append( &msg->toMsgBase() );
 }
 
 KMCommand::~KMCommand()
diff --git a/kmreadermainwin.cpp b/kmreadermainwin.cpp
index aab2fa209..4b26166f9 100644
--- a/kmreadermainwin.cpp
+++ b/kmreadermainwin.cpp
@@ -89,6 +89,10 @@ void KMReaderMainWin::initKMReaderMainWin() {
   setupAccel();
   setupGUI( ToolBar | Keys | StatusBar | Create, "kmreadermainwin.rc" );
   applyMainWindowSettings( KMKernel::config(), "Separate Reader Window" );
+  if ( ! mReaderWin->message() ) {
+    menuBar()->hide();
+    toolBar( "mainToolBar" )->hide();
+  }
 
   connect( kmkernel, SIGNAL( configChanged() ),
            this, SLOT( slotConfigChanged() ) );
@@ -113,6 +117,7 @@ void KMReaderMainWin::showMsg( const QString & encoding, KMMessage *msg )
   mReaderWin->setMsg( msg, true );
   setCaption( msg->subject() );
   mMsg = msg;
+  menuBar()->show();
   toolBar( "mainToolBar" )->show();
 }
 
@@ -162,7 +167,7 @@ void KMReaderMainWin::slotReplyListToMsg()
 void KMReaderMainWin::slotForwardMsg()
 {
    KMCommand *command = 0;
-   if ( mReaderWin->message()->parent() ) {
+   if ( mReaderWin->message() && mReaderWin->message()->parent() ) {
     command = new KMForwardCommand( this, mReaderWin->message(),
         mReaderWin->message()->parent()->identity() );
    } else {
@@ -175,7 +180,7 @@ void KMReaderMainWin::slotForwardMsg()
 void KMReaderMainWin::slotForwardAttachedMsg()
 {
    KMCommand *command = 0;
-   if ( mReaderWin->message()->parent() ) {
+   if ( mReaderWin->message() && mReaderWin->message()->parent() ) {
      command = new KMForwardAttachedCommand( this, mReaderWin->message(),
         mReaderWin->message()->parent()->identity() );
    } else {