diff --git a/gui/qt/history_list.py b/gui/qt/history_list.py
index 20f8aa39c..bec6c7ff1 100644
--- a/gui/qt/history_list.py
+++ b/gui/qt/history_list.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ class HistoryList(MyTreeWidget, AcceptFileDragDrop):
         self.end_timestamp = None
         self.years = []
         self.create_toolbar_buttons()
+        self.wallet = None
 
     def format_date(self, d):
         return str(datetime.date(d.year, d.month, d.day)) if d else _('None')
@@ -301,6 +302,8 @@ class HistoryList(MyTreeWidget, AcceptFileDragDrop):
             item.setText(3, label)
 
     def update_item(self, tx_hash, height, conf, timestamp):
+        if self.wallet is None:
+            return
         status, status_str = self.wallet.get_tx_status(tx_hash, height, conf, timestamp)
         icon = self.icon_cache.get(":icons/" +  TX_ICONS[status])
         items = self.findItems(tx_hash, Qt.UserRole|Qt.MatchContains|Qt.MatchRecursive, column=1)