diff --git a/src/settings.c b/src/settings.c
index 3c7e416..296f5a3 100644
--- a/src/settings.c
+++ b/src/settings.c
@@ -305,61 +305,61 @@ int settings_load(struct user_settings *s, const char *patharg)
     if ((setting = config_lookup(cfg, sound_strings.self)) != NULL) {
         if ( (config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.error, &str) != CONFIG_TRUE) ||
                 !set_sound(error, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(error, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/Error.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.user_log_in, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(user_log_in, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(user_log_in, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/ContactLogsIn.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.self_log_in, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(self_log_in, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(self_log_in, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/LogIn.wav");
         }
 
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.user_log_out, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(user_log_out, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(user_log_out, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/ContactLogsOut.wav");
         }
 
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.self_log_out, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(self_log_out, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(self_log_out, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/LogOut.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.call_incoming, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(call_incoming, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(call_incoming, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/IncomingCall.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.call_outgoing, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(call_outgoing, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(call_outgoing, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/OutgoingCall.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.generic_message, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(generic_message, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(generic_message, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/NewMessage.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.transfer_pending, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(transfer_pending, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(transfer_pending, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/TransferPending.wav");
         }
         
         if ( !config_setting_lookup_string(setting, sound_strings.transfer_completed, &str) ||
                 !set_sound(transfer_completed, str) ) {
-            if (strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
+            if (str && strcasecmp(str, NO_SOUND) != 0)
                 set_sound(transfer_completed, PACKAGE_DATADIR "/sounds/TransferComplete.wav");
         }
     }