diff --git a/Fluent.Ribbon/Automation/Peers/RibbonGroupBoxAutomationPeer.cs b/Fluent.Ribbon/Automation/Peers/RibbonGroupBoxAutomationPeer.cs
index f0903b61d..6d7a08831 100644
--- a/Fluent.Ribbon/Automation/Peers/RibbonGroupBoxAutomationPeer.cs
+++ b/Fluent.Ribbon/Automation/Peers/RibbonGroupBoxAutomationPeer.cs
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ private RibbonGroupHeaderAutomationPeer HeaderPeer
                             this.headerPeer = new RibbonGroupHeaderAutomationPeer(this.OwningGroup.CollapsedHeaderContentControl);
                         }
                     }
-                    else if (this.OwningGroup.Header != null)
+                    else if (this.OwningGroup.Header != null
+                            && this.OwningGroup.HeaderContentControl != null)
                     {
                         this.headerPeer = new RibbonGroupHeaderAutomationPeer(this.OwningGroup.HeaderContentControl);
                     }