--- panels/region/cc-region-panel.c.orig	2011-12-10 14:43:14.000000000 -0800
+++ panels/region/cc-region-panel.c	2011-12-11 04:38:58.516765885 -0800
@@ -135,7 +135,8 @@ cc_region_panel_init (CcRegionPanel * se
 
 	priv = self->priv = REGION_PANEL_PRIVATE (self);
 
-	desktop = g_getenv ("XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP");
+	if (!(desktop = g_getenv ("XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP")))
+		desktop = "";
 
 	priv->builder = gtk_builder_new ();
 
