diff --git a/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/announcements/AnnouncementProvider.java b/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/announcements/AnnouncementProvider.java
index afb00e21..872b6cf0 100644
--- a/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/announcements/AnnouncementProvider.java
+++ b/diylc/diylc-core/src/org/diylc/announcements/AnnouncementProvider.java
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ public class AnnouncementProvider {
   }
 
   public String getCurrentAnnouncements(boolean forceLast) throws ParseException {
-    announcements = service.getAnnouncements();
+    announcements = service.getAnnouncements();
+    if (announcements == null)
+    	return null;
     boolean hasUnread = false;
     StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("<html>");
     for (int i = 0; i < announcements.size(); i++) {
diff --git a/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar b/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar
index 9cf4d569..6f2c6063 100644
Binary files a/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar and b/diylc/diylc-library/lib/diylc-core.jar differ
diff --git a/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar b/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar
index 9cf4d569..6f2c6063 100644
Binary files a/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar and b/diylc/diylc-swing/lib/diylc-core.jar differ