Index: remotecontrol/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/remotecontrol/RequestProcessor.java
===================================================================
--- remotecontrol/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/remotecontrol/RequestProcessor.java	(Revision 16715)
+++ remotecontrol/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/plugins/remotecontrol/RequestProcessor.java	(Arbeitskopie)
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.actions.downloadtasks.DownloadOsmTask;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.Bounds;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.coor.LatLon;
+import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.DataSet;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.Node;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.OsmPrimitive;
 import org.openstreetmap.josm.data.osm.Relation;
@@ -147,7 +148,8 @@
                         throw new LoadDeniedException();
 
                     // find out whether some data has already been downloaded
-                    Area present = Main.main.getCurrentDataSet().getDataSourceArea();
+                    final DataSet dataSet = Main.main.getCurrentDataSet();
+                    final Area present = dataSet==null ? null : dataSet.getDataSourceArea();
                     if (present != null && !present.isEmpty()) {
                         Area toDownload = new Area(new Rectangle2D.Double(minlon,minlat,maxlon-minlon,maxlat-minlat));
                         toDownload.subtract(present);