Index: src/dialogs/item-properties.cpp
===================================================================
--- src/dialogs/item-properties.cpp	(revision 19574)
+++ src/dialogs/item-properties.cpp	(working copy)
@@ -341,13 +341,15 @@
         gtk_widget_set_sensitive(w, TRUE);
 
         /* Description */
+        w = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_object_get_data(GTK_OBJECT(spw), "desc"));
+        GtkTextBuffer *buf = gtk_text_view_get_buffer(GTK_TEXT_VIEW(w));
         gchar *desc = obj->desc();
         if (desc) {
-            w = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_object_get_data(GTK_OBJECT(spw), "desc"));
-            GtkTextBuffer *buf = gtk_text_view_get_buffer(GTK_TEXT_VIEW(w));
             gtk_text_buffer_set_text(buf, desc, -1);
             g_free(desc);
-        }
+        } else {
+	    gtk_text_buffer_set_text(buf, "", 0);
+	}
         w = GTK_WIDGET(gtk_object_get_data(GTK_OBJECT(spw), "desc_frame"));
         gtk_widget_set_sensitive(w, TRUE);
     }