                 elt.includeInLayout = false;
                 freeRenderers.push(elt);
             }
-            else
-            {
-                dispatchEvent(new RendererExistenceEvent(RendererExistenceEvent.RENDERER_REMOVE, 
-                                false, false, elt, index, item));
+            else if (elt)
+            {
+                dispatchEvent(new RendererExistenceEvent(RendererExistenceEvent.RENDERER_REMOVE, false, false, elt, index, item));
                 super.removeChild(DisplayObject(elt));
             }
         }

     */
    mx_internal function itemAdded(item:Object, index:int):void
    {
        if (layout && layout.useVirtualLayout)
        {
            appendContentChangeDelta(index+1);
            indexToRenderer.splice(index, 0, null);
            invalidateSize();
            invalidateDisplayList();
            return;

        _layeringFlags |= (LAYERING_ENABLED | LAYERING_DIRTY);
        invalidateProperties();
    }
        
    /**
     *  Adds the itemRenderer for the specified dataProvider item to this DataGroup.
     * 
