diff --git a/src/Clients/Muinshee/Muinshee/MuinsheeTrackInfoDisplay.cs b/src/Clients/Muinshee/Muinshee/MuinsheeTrackInfoDisplay.cs
index 7b1034d..9191894 100644
--- a/src/Clients/Muinshee/Muinshee/MuinsheeTrackInfoDisplay.cs
+++ b/src/Clients/Muinshee/Muinshee/MuinsheeTrackInfoDisplay.cs
@@ -48,8 +48,10 @@ namespace Muinshee
 
         protected override void RenderIdle (Cairo.Context cr)
         {
-            idle_album = idle_album ?? new PixbufImageSurface (Banshee.Gui.IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (
-                ArtworkSizeRequest, "media-optical"), true);
+            Gdk.Pixbuf pixbuf = Banshee.Gui.IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (ArtworkSizeRequest, "media-optical");
+            if (idle_album == null && pixbuf != null) {
+                idle_album = new PixbufImageSurface (pixbuf, true);
+            }
             
             ArtworkRenderer.RenderThumbnail (cr, idle_album, false, Allocation.X, Allocation.Y, 
                 ArtworkSizeRequest, ArtworkSizeRequest, 
diff --git a/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Collection.Gui/ColumnCellAlbum.cs b/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Collection.Gui/ColumnCellAlbum.cs
index 99186a3..562f14b 100644
--- a/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Collection.Gui/ColumnCellAlbum.cs
+++ b/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Collection.Gui/ColumnCellAlbum.cs
@@ -44,14 +44,19 @@ namespace Banshee.Collection.Gui
         private static int image_spacing = 4;
         private static int image_size = 48;
         
-        private static ImageSurface default_cover_image 
-            = new PixbufImageSurface (IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (image_size, "media-optical", "browser-album-cover"));
+        private static ImageSurface default_cover_image = null;
         
         private ArtworkManager artwork_manager;
 
         public ColumnCellAlbum () : base (null, true)
         {
             artwork_manager = ServiceManager.Get<ArtworkManager> ();
+            if (default_cover_image == null) {
+                Gdk.Pixbuf pixbuf = IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (image_size, "media-optical");
+                if (pixbuf != null) {
+                    default_cover_image = new PixbufImageSurface (pixbuf);
+                }
+            }
         }
     
         public override void Render (CellContext context, StateType state, double cellWidth, double cellHeight)
diff --git a/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Gui.Widgets/TrackInfoDisplay.cs b/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Gui.Widgets/TrackInfoDisplay.cs
index 4633a19..cbd314f 100644
--- a/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Gui.Widgets/TrackInfoDisplay.cs
+++ b/src/Core/Banshee.ThickClient/Banshee.Gui.Widgets/TrackInfoDisplay.cs
@@ -65,14 +65,28 @@ namespace Banshee.Gui.Widgets
         
         private ImageSurface missing_audio_image;
         protected ImageSurface MissingAudioImage {
-            get { return missing_audio_image ?? (missing_audio_image 
-                = new PixbufImageSurface (IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (MissingIconSizeRequest, "audio-x-generic"), true)); }
+            get { 
+                if (missing_audio_image == null) {
+                    Gdk.Pixbuf pixbuf = IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (MissingIconSizeRequest, "audio-x-generic");
+                    if (pixbuf != null) {
+                        missing_audio_image = new PixbufImageSurface (pixbuf, true);
+                    }
+                }
+                return missing_audio_image;
+            }
         }
         
         private ImageSurface missing_video_image;
         protected ImageSurface MissingVideoImage {
-            get { return missing_video_image ?? (missing_video_image 
-                = new PixbufImageSurface (IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (MissingIconSizeRequest, "video-x-generic"), true)); }
+            get { 
+                if (missing_video_image == null) {
+                    Gdk.Pixbuf pixbuf = IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (MissingIconSizeRequest, "video-x-generic");
+                    if (pixbuf != null) {
+                        missing_video_image = new PixbufImageSurface (pixbuf, true);
+                    }
+                }
+                return missing_video_image;
+            }
         }
         
         private Cairo.Color background_color;
diff --git a/src/Extensions/Banshee.Podcasting/Banshee.Podcasting.Gui/ColumnCellPodcast.cs b/src/Extensions/Banshee.Podcasting/Banshee.Podcasting.Gui/ColumnCellPodcast.cs
index a3bcd45..d054f14 100644
--- a/src/Extensions/Banshee.Podcasting/Banshee.Podcasting.Gui/ColumnCellPodcast.cs
+++ b/src/Extensions/Banshee.Podcasting/Banshee.Podcasting.Gui/ColumnCellPodcast.cs
@@ -50,14 +50,19 @@ namespace Banshee.Podcasting.Gui
         private static int image_size = 48;
         
         // TODO replace this w/ new icon installation etc
-        private static ImageSurface default_cover_image 
-            = new PixbufImageSurface (IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (image_size, "podcast"));
+        private static ImageSurface default_cover_image = null;
         
         private ArtworkManager artwork_manager;
 
         public ColumnCellPodcast () : base (null, true)
         {
             artwork_manager = ServiceManager.Get<ArtworkManager> ();
+            if (default_cover_image == null) {
+                Gdk.Pixbuf pixbuf = IconThemeUtils.LoadIcon (image_size, "podcast");
+                if (pixbuf != null) {
+                    default_cover_image = new PixbufImageSurface (pixbuf);
+                }
+            }
         }
     
         public override void Render (CellContext context, StateType state, double cellWidth, double cellHeight)
-- 
1.6.0.6

