diff --git a/src/Fl_Screen_Driver.cxx b/src/Fl_Screen_Driver.cxx
index 43dbc144d..c3f62c03e 100644
--- a/src/Fl_Screen_Driver.cxx
+++ b/src/Fl_Screen_Driver.cxx
@@ -383,8 +383,11 @@ void Fl_Screen_Driver::transient_scale_display(float f, int nscreen)
   win_and_widget *data = new win_and_widget;
   data->win = win;
   data->widget = Fl::focus();
-  if (data->widget && data->widget->top_window()->user_data() == &transient_scale_display) {
-    data->widget = 0;
+  if (data->widget) {
+    Fl_Window *top = data->widget->top_window();
+    if (!top || top->user_data() == &transient_scale_display) {
+      data->widget = 0;
+    }
   }
   win->show();
   Fl::add_timeout(1, (Fl_Timeout_Handler)del_transient_window, data); // delete after 1 sec