diff --git a/oox/source/ppt/slidefragmenthandler.cxx b/oox/source/ppt/slidefragmenthandler.cxx
index a27e5e3..952a57c 100644
--- a/oox/source/ppt/slidefragmenthandler.cxx
+++ b/oox/source/ppt/slidefragmenthandler.cxx
@@ -140,8 +140,8 @@ SlideFragmentHandler::~SlideFragmentHandler() throw()
 
     case PPT_TOKEN( bgRef ):            // a:CT_StyleMatrixReference
         {
-            FillPropertiesPtr pFillPropertiesPtr( new FillProperties(
-                *mpSlidePersistPtr->getTheme()->getFillStyle( rAttribs.getInteger( XML_idx, -1 ) ) ) );
+            const FillProperties *pFillProperties = mpSlidePersistPtr->getTheme()->getFillStyle( rAttribs.getInteger( XML_idx, -1 ) );
+            FillPropertiesPtr pFillPropertiesPtr( pFillProperties ? new FillProperties( *pFillProperties ) : new FillProperties() );
             ContextHandlerRef ret = new ColorContext( *this, mpSlidePersistPtr->getBackgroundColor() );
             mpSlidePersistPtr->setBackgroundProperties( pFillPropertiesPtr );
             return ret;