diff --git a/lib/ajax/section_classes.js b/lib/ajax/section_classes.js
index f854d1879f1..55abf7fd6b7 100755
--- a/lib/ajax/section_classes.js
+++ b/lib/ajax/section_classes.js
@@ -94,8 +94,8 @@ section_class.prototype.init_buttons = function() {
         commandContainer.appendChild(highlightbutton);
         this.highlightButton = highlightbutton;
     }
-    
-    if (this.sectionId > 0 ) {        
+
+    if (this.sectionId > 0 ) {
         var viewbutton = main.mk_button('div', '/i/hide.gif', main.getString('hidesection', this.sectionId), [['title', main.portal.strings['hide'] ]]);
     YAHOO.util.Event.addListener(viewbutton, 'click', this.toggle_hide, this,true);
     commandContainer.appendChild(viewbutton);
@@ -141,12 +141,12 @@ section_class.prototype.process_section = function() {
 
     // Find/edit resources
     this.resources_ul = this.content_td.getElementsByTagName('ul')[0];
-    var i=0;    
-    while (this.resources_ul && this.resources_ul.className != 'section img-text') {        
+    var i=0;
+    while (this.resources_ul && this.resources_ul.className != 'section img-text') {
         this.resources_ul = this.content_td.getElementsByTagName('ul')[i];
         i++;
     }
-    
+
     if (!this.resources_ul) {
         this.resources_ul = document.createElement('ul');
         this.resources_ul.className='section';
@@ -158,10 +158,12 @@ section_class.prototype.process_section = function() {
         var resource = this.resources_ul.getElementsByTagName('li')[i];
         this.resources[this.resources.length] = new resource_class(resource.id, 'resources', null, this);
     }
-    this.summary = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName('summary', null, this.getEl())[0].firstChild.data || '';
+    var summarysection = YAHOO.util.Dom.getElementsByClassName('summary', null, this.getEl())[0].firstChild;
+    if (summarysection != null) {
+        this.summary = summarysection.data || '';
+    }
 }
 
-
 section_class.prototype.startDrag = function(x, y) {
     //operates in point mode
     YAHOO.util.DDM.mode = YAHOO.util.DDM.POINT;