diff --git a/core/area.h b/core/area.h
index 1f7b10d2a..936c266b5 100644
--- a/core/area.h
+++ b/core/area.h
@@ -655,9 +655,6 @@ void RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::simplify()
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::isNull() const
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return false;
-
     if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return false;
 
@@ -672,9 +669,6 @@ bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::isNull() const
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::intersects( const NormalizedShape& rect ) const
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return false;
-
     if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return false;
 
@@ -689,9 +683,6 @@ bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::intersects( const NormalizedShape& rec
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::intersects( const RegularArea<NormalizedShape,Shape> *area ) const
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return false;
-
     if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return false;
 
@@ -712,9 +703,6 @@ bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::intersects( const RegularArea<Normaliz
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 void RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::appendArea( const RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape> *area )
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return;
-
     typename QList<NormalizedShape>::const_iterator areaIt = area->begin(), areaItEnd = area->end();
     for ( ; areaIt != areaItEnd; ++areaIt )
         this->append( *areaIt );
@@ -724,9 +712,6 @@ void RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::appendArea( const RegularArea<Normaliz
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 void RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::appendShape( const NormalizedShape& shape, MergeSide side )
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return;
-
     int size = this->count();
     // if the list is empty, adds the shape normally
     if ( size == 0 )
@@ -799,9 +784,6 @@ void RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::appendShape( const NormalizedShape& sh
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::contains( double x, double y ) const
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return false;
-
     if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return false;
 
@@ -816,9 +798,6 @@ bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::contains( double x, double y ) const
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::contains( const NormalizedShape& shape ) const
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return false;
-
     if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return false;
 
@@ -828,7 +807,7 @@ bool RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::contains( const NormalizedShape& shape
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 QList<Shape> RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::geometry( int xScale, int yScale, int dx, int dy ) const
 {
-    if ( !this || this->isEmpty() )
+    if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return QList<Shape>();
 
     QList<Shape> ret;
@@ -847,9 +826,6 @@ QList<Shape> RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::geometry( int xScale, int ySca
 template <class NormalizedShape, class Shape>
 void RegularArea<NormalizedShape, Shape>::transform( const QTransform &matrix )
 {
-    if ( !this )
-        return;
-
     if ( this->isEmpty() )
         return;
 
diff --git a/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp b/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp
index 699f068c0..3a3cd182b 100644
--- a/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp
+++ b/ui/pageviewannotator.cpp
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ class TextSelectorEngine : public AnnotatorEngine
                     delete selection;
                     selection = 0;
                     Okular::RegularAreaRect * newselection = m_pageView->textSelectionForItem( item(), start, end );
-                    if ( !newselection->isEmpty() )
+                    if ( newselection && !newselection->isEmpty() )
                     {
                         const QList<QRect> geom = newselection->geometry( (int)xScale, (int)yScale );
                         QRect newrect;