=== modified file 'dhis-2/dhis-web/dhis-web-commons/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/commons/action/GetDataElementsAction.java'
--- dhis-2/dhis-web/dhis-web-commons/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/commons/action/GetDataElementsAction.java	2013-08-23 16:05:01 +0000
+++ dhis-2/dhis-web/dhis-web-commons/src/main/java/org/hisp/dhis/commons/action/GetDataElementsAction.java	2013-10-02 11:02:41 +0000
@@ -28,11 +28,8 @@
  * SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
  */
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
-import java.util.Collections;
-import java.util.List;
-
 import org.apache.struts2.ServletActionContext;
+import org.hisp.dhis.common.IdentifiableObjectUtils;
 import org.hisp.dhis.common.comparator.IdentifiableObjectNameComparator;
 import org.hisp.dhis.dataelement.DataElement;
 import org.hisp.dhis.dataelement.DataElementCategoryCombo;
@@ -47,7 +44,10 @@
 import org.hisp.dhis.system.filter.AggregatableDataElementFilter;
 import org.hisp.dhis.system.util.FilterUtils;
 import org.hisp.dhis.util.ContextUtils;
-import org.hisp.dhis.common.IdentifiableObjectUtils;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collections;
+import java.util.List;
 
 /**
  * @author Lars Helge Overland
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@
         else
         {
             dataElements = new ArrayList<DataElement>( dataElementService.getAllDataElements() );
-            
+
             ContextUtils.clearIfNotModified( ServletActionContext.getRequest(), ServletActionContext.getResponse(), dataElements );
         }
 
@@ -210,6 +210,11 @@
             dataElements = IdentifiableObjectUtils.filterNameByKey( dataElements, key, true );
         }
 
+        if ( dataElements == null )
+        {
+            dataElements = new ArrayList<DataElement>();
+        }
+
         Collections.sort( dataElements, IdentifiableObjectNameComparator.INSTANCE );
 
         if ( aggregate )