diff --git a/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java b/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java
index 4d29c190884..23078ba5eb3 100644
--- a/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java	
+++ b/bundles/org.eclipse.swt/Eclipse SWT Custom Widgets/common/org/eclipse/swt/custom/CTabFolder.java	
@@ -2062,6 +2062,9 @@ void onPaint(Event event) {
 	}
 
 	GC gc = event.gc;
+	if (gc == null) {
+		return;
+	}
 	Font gcFont = gc.getFont();
 	Color gcBackground = gc.getBackground();
 	Color gcForeground = gc.getForeground();