diff --git sources/sync/rb-sync-settings.c sources/sync/rb-sync-settings.c
index 86d6633..6fcc297 100644
--- sources/sync/rb-sync-settings.c
+++ sources/sync/rb-sync-settings.c
@@ -167,6 +167,10 @@ rb_sync_settings_sync_category (RBSyncSettings *settings,
 					     const char *category)
 {
 	RBSyncSettingsPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (settings);
+	if (priv == NULL) {
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
 	return _get_boolean_with_default (priv->key_file, category, CATEGORY_ENABLED_KEY, FALSE);
 }
 
@@ -254,6 +258,10 @@ rb_sync_settings_group_enabled (RBSyncSettings *settings,
 	int i;
 	gboolean found = FALSE;
 
+	if (priv == NULL) {
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
 	groups = g_key_file_get_string_list (priv->key_file, category, CATEGORY_GROUPS_KEY, NULL, NULL);
 	if (groups == NULL) {
 		return FALSE;
@@ -288,6 +296,10 @@ rb_sync_settings_has_enabled_groups (RBSyncSettings *settings,
 	RBSyncSettingsPrivate *priv = GET_PRIVATE (settings);
 	char **groups;
 
+	if (priv == NULL) {
+		return FALSE;
+	}
+
 	groups = g_key_file_get_string_list (priv->key_file, category, CATEGORY_GROUPS_KEY, NULL, NULL);
 	if (groups == NULL) {
 		return FALSE;
@@ -306,6 +318,10 @@ rb_sync_settings_get_enabled_groups (RBSyncSettings *settings,
 	GList *glist = NULL;
 	int i;
 
+	if (priv == NULL) {
+		return NULL;
+	}
+
 	groups = g_key_file_get_string_list (priv->key_file, category, CATEGORY_GROUPS_KEY, NULL, NULL);
 	if (groups == NULL) {
 		return NULL;
