diff --git a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/tags/TagsControlSet.java b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/tags/TagsControlSet.java
index 1c0bb5ec9..4154e6e83 100644
--- a/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/tags/TagsControlSet.java
+++ b/astrid/plugin-src/com/todoroo/astrid/tags/TagsControlSet.java
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public final class TagsControlSet implements TaskEditControlSet {
             if(loadedTags.length <= i || !loadedTags[i].equals(tag))
                 identical = false;
         }
-        if(identical && tags.size() != loadedTags.length)
+        if(loadedTags == null || tags.size() != loadedTags.length)
             identical = false;
 
         if(!identical) {