diff --git a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UGCalcLikelihoods.java b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UGCalcLikelihoods.java
index e2460962c..d9f6a3420 100755
--- a/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UGCalcLikelihoods.java
+++ b/java/src/org/broadinstitute/sting/gatk/walkers/genotyper/UGCalcLikelihoods.java
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public class UGCalcLikelihoods extends LocusWalker<VariantCallContext, Integer>
     }
 
     public Integer reduce(VariantCallContext value, Integer sum) {
-        if ( value == null )
+        if ( value == null || value.vc == null )
             return sum;
 
         try {