diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 0db74321eb..5a499e5f8f 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2003-10-23  Michael Natterer  <mitch@gimp.org>
+
+	* app/display/gimpdisplayshell-appearance.c
+	(gimp_display_shell_set_padding): avoid potential crash (access
+	pointer *after* precondition check).
+
 2003-10-23  Michael Natterer  <mitch@gimp.org>
 
 	* app/gui/preferences-dialog.c (prefs_display_options_frame_add):
diff --git a/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-appearance.c b/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-appearance.c
index 0c23ba9bad..29413a646b 100644
--- a/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-appearance.c
+++ b/app/display/gimpdisplayshell-appearance.c
@@ -395,12 +395,13 @@ gimp_display_shell_set_padding (GimpDisplayShell      *shell,
                                 const GimpRGB         *padding_color)
 {
   GimpDisplayOptions *options;
-  GimpRGB             color = *padding_color;
+  GimpRGB             color;
 
   g_return_if_fail (GIMP_IS_DISPLAY_SHELL (shell));
   g_return_if_fail (padding_color != NULL);
 
   options = GET_OPTIONS (shell);
+  color   = *padding_color;
 
   switch (padding_mode)
     {