             return super.getElementBounds(index);
 
         var g:GroupBase = GroupBase(target);
-        if (!g || (index < 0) || (index >= g.numElements)) 
+        if (!g || (index < 0) || (index >= g.numElements) || !llv) 
             return null;
 
         return llv.getBounds(index);

     *  for the possibility that the typicalLayoutElement has changed, or
     *  something that its preferred size depends on has changed.
     */
     private function updateLLV(layoutTarget:GroupBase):void
     {
        var typicalElt:ILayoutElement = typicalLayoutElement;
        if (typicalElt)
        {

     *  useVirtualLayout=true.   See updateLLV(), resetCachedVirtualLayoutState(),
     *  etc.
     */
    private var llv:LinearLayoutVector;
    
    //--------------------------------------------------------------------------
    //
