diff --git a/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/properties_freestyle.py b/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/properties_freestyle.py
index 18dd8f591e8..a96441a26e5 100644
--- a/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/properties_freestyle.py
+++ b/release/scripts/startup/bl_ui/properties_freestyle.py
@@ -530,6 +530,8 @@ class RENDERLAYER_PT_freestyle_linestyle(RenderLayerFreestyleEditorButtonsPanel,
         linestyle = lineset.linestyle
 
         layout.template_ID(lineset, "linestyle", new="scene.freestyle_linestyle_new")
+        if linestyle is None:
+            return
         row = layout.row(align=True)
         row.prop(linestyle, "panel", expand=True)
         if linestyle.panel == 'STROKES':
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/freestyle.c b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/freestyle.c
index 846b3779649..d87c93310c8 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/freestyle.c
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/intern/freestyle.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ void BKE_freestyle_config_copy(FreestyleConfig *new_config, FreestyleConfig *con
 static void copy_lineset(FreestyleLineSet *new_lineset, FreestyleLineSet *lineset)
 {
 	new_lineset->linestyle = lineset->linestyle;
-	if (lineset->linestyle)
+	if (new_lineset->linestyle)
 		new_lineset->linestyle->id.us++;
 	new_lineset->flags = lineset->flags;
 	new_lineset->selection = lineset->selection;
diff --git a/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c b/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c
index 58c244228ed..c19c5a38517 100644
--- a/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c
+++ b/source/blender/editors/render/render_shading.c
@@ -860,8 +860,12 @@ static int freestyle_linestyle_new_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset to add a new line style to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
-	lineset->linestyle->id.us--;
-	lineset->linestyle = BKE_copy_linestyle(lineset->linestyle);
+	if (lineset->linestyle) {
+		lineset->linestyle->id.us--;
+		lineset->linestyle = BKE_copy_linestyle(lineset->linestyle);
+	} else {
+		lineset->linestyle = BKE_new_linestyle("LineStyle", NULL);
+	}
 
 	WM_event_add_notifier(C, NC_SCENE | ND_RENDER_OPTIONS, scene);
 
@@ -894,6 +898,10 @@ static int freestyle_color_modifier_add_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style to add the modifier to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 	if (BKE_add_linestyle_color_modifier(lineset->linestyle, type) == NULL) {
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "Unknown line color modifier type");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
@@ -933,6 +941,10 @@ static int freestyle_alpha_modifier_add_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style to add the modifier to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 	if (BKE_add_linestyle_alpha_modifier(lineset->linestyle, type) == NULL) {
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "Unknown alpha transparency modifier type");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
@@ -972,6 +984,10 @@ static int freestyle_thickness_modifier_add_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style to add the modifier to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 	if (BKE_add_linestyle_thickness_modifier(lineset->linestyle, type) == NULL) {
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "Unknown line thickness modifier type");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
@@ -1011,6 +1027,10 @@ static int freestyle_geometry_modifier_add_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style to add the modifier to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 	if (BKE_add_linestyle_geometry_modifier(lineset->linestyle, type) == NULL) {
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "Unknown stroke geometry modifier type");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
@@ -1064,6 +1084,10 @@ static int freestyle_modifier_remove_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style the modifier belongs to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 
 	switch (freestyle_get_modifier_type(&ptr)) {
 		case LS_MODIFIER_TYPE_COLOR:
@@ -1114,6 +1138,10 @@ static int freestyle_modifier_copy_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style the modifier belongs to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 
 	switch (freestyle_get_modifier_type(&ptr)) {
 		case LS_MODIFIER_TYPE_COLOR:
@@ -1165,6 +1193,10 @@ static int freestyle_modifier_move_exec(bContext *C, wmOperator *op)
 		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "No active lineset and associated line style the modifier belongs to");
 		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
 	}
+	if (!lineset->linestyle) {
+		BKE_report(op->reports, RPT_ERROR, "The active lineset does not have a line style (indicating data corruption)");
+		return OPERATOR_CANCELLED;
+	}
 
 	switch (freestyle_get_modifier_type(&ptr)) {
 		case LS_MODIFIER_TYPE_COLOR:
diff --git a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c
index f1a05700bd9..0cfb399c470 100644
--- a/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c
+++ b/source/blender/makesrna/intern/rna_scene.c
@@ -1541,7 +1541,8 @@ static void rna_FreestyleLineSet_linestyle_set(PointerRNA *ptr, PointerRNA value
 {
 	FreestyleLineSet *lineset = (FreestyleLineSet *)ptr->data;
 
-	lineset->linestyle->id.us--;
+	if (lineset->linestyle)
+		lineset->linestyle->id.us--;
 	lineset->linestyle = (FreestyleLineStyle *)value.data;
 	lineset->linestyle->id.us++;
 }