diff --git a/spell.c b/spell.c
index e9fff26..ba62078 100644
--- a/spell.c
+++ b/spell.c
@@ -4176,11 +4176,11 @@ int dospelleffects(lifeform_t *caster, enum OBTYPE spellid, int power, lifeform_
 			targcell = retcell[maxr];
 		} 
 
-		// adjust for LOF (we already validated this during castspell()'s call to validatespellcell(),
+		// adjust for LOF - we already validated this during castspell()'s call to validatespellcell(),
 		// but check again in case,  for example, there was an invisible lf in the way which we couldn't
 		// see.
 		loft = getspellloftype(spellid);
-		if (loft != LOF_DONTNEED) {
+		if (targcell && (loft != LOF_DONTNEED)) {
 			cell_t *newtarg;
 			haslof(caster->cell, targcell, loft, &newtarg);
 			targcell = newtarg;