diff --git a/mpf/modes/high_score/code/high_score.py b/mpf/modes/high_score/code/high_score.py
index cbaf6c6a8..088ca061d 100644
--- a/mpf/modes/high_score/code/high_score.py
+++ b/mpf/modes/high_score/code/high_score.py
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ class HighScore(AsyncMode):
     @asyncio.coroutine
     def _run(self) -> Generator[int, None, None]:
         """Run high score mode."""
-        if not self.machine.game.player_list:
+        if not self.machine.game or not self.machine.game.player_list:
+            self.log.warning("High Score started but there was no game. Will not start.")
             return
 
         new_high_score_list = {}

Fix crash in high_score mode
Crash when starting high acores mode after game enderd:

```
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "c:\users\wilder\appdata\local\programs\python\python36\lib\site-packages\mpf\commands\game.py", line 220, in __init__
    MachineController(mpf_path, machine_path, vars(self.args)).run()
  File "c:\users\wilder\appdata\local\programs\python\python36\lib\site-packages\mpf\core\machine.py", line 709, in run
    self._run_loop()
  File "c:\users\wilder\appdata\local\programs\python\python36\lib\site-packages\mpf\core\machine.py", line 769, in _run_loop
    raise self._exception['exception']
  File "c:\users\wilder\appdata\local\programs\python\python36\lib\asyncio\events.py", line 145, in _run
    self._callback(*self._args)
  File "c:\users\wilder\appdata\local\programs\python\python36\lib\site-packages\mpf\core\async_mode.py", line 39, in _done
    future.result()
  File "c:\users\wilder\appdata\local\programs\python\python36\lib\site-packages\mpf\modes\high_score\code\high_score.py", line 127, in _run
    if not self.machine.game.player_list:
AttributeError: 'NoneType' object has no attribute 'player_list'
```
diff --git a/mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py b/mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py
index 3549565a0..b30082df8 100644
--- a/mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py
+++ b/mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py
@@ -29,6 +29,15 @@ class TestHighScoreMode(MpfBcpTestCase):
             self.machine.game.request_player_add()
             self.advance_time_and_run()
 
+    def test_high_score_without_game(self):
+        # try to start high score mode without a running game
+        self.assertIn("high_score", self.machine.modes)
+        self.assertModeNotRunning("high_score")
+        self.machine.modes["high_score"].start()
+        self.advance_time_and_run()
+        # mode should not start (neither crash)
+        self.assertModeNotRunning("high_score")
+
     def test_default_high_scores(self):
         new_score_data = OrderedDict()
         new_score_data['score'] = [('BRI', 4242),

pip install -e .
parse_log_pytest
requirements.txt
pytest pytest-cov pytest-xdist pytest-mock pytest-asyncio pytest
apt-get update apt-get install -y gcc python3-dev
3.6
requirements/base.txt
pytest --no-header -rA --tb=line --color=no -p no:cacheprovider -W ignore::DeprecationWarning
asciimatics==1.14.0
attrs==22.2.0
certifi==2021.5.30
coverage==6.2
execnet==1.9.0
future==1.0.0
importlib-metadata==4.8.3
iniconfig==1.1.1
-e git+https://github.com/missionpinball/mpf.git@211d5d0711e50bb49c2a02b7961394a008e2b86c#egg=mpf
packaging==21.3
Pillow==8.4.0
pluggy==1.0.0
psutil==7.0.0
py==1.11.0
pyfiglet==0.8.post1
pyparsing==3.1.4
pyserial==3.5
pyserial-asyncio==0.6
pytest==7.0.1
pytest-asyncio==0.16.0
pytest-cov==4.0.0
pytest-mock==3.6.1
pytest-xdist==3.0.2
ruamel.yaml==0.15.37
sortedcontainers==2.4.0
terminaltables==3.1.10
tomli==1.2.3
typing==3.7.4.3
typing_extensions==4.1.1
wcwidth==0.2.13
zipp==3.6.0

name: mpf
channels:
  - defaults
  - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/main
  - https://repo.anaconda.com/pkgs/r
  - conda-forge
dependencies:
  - _libgcc_mutex=0.1=main
  - _openmp_mutex=5.1=1_gnu
  - ca-certificates=2025.2.25=h06a4308_0
  - certifi=2021.5.30=py36h06a4308_0
  - ld_impl_linux-64=2.40=h12ee557_0
  - libffi=3.3=he6710b0_2
  - libgcc-ng=11.2.0=h1234567_1
  - libgomp=11.2.0=h1234567_1
  - libstdcxx-ng=11.2.0=h1234567_1
  - ncurses=6.4=h6a678d5_0
  - openssl=1.1.1w=h7f8727e_0
  - pip=21.2.2=py36h06a4308_0
  - python=3.6.13=h12debd9_1
  - readline=8.2=h5eee18b_0
  - setuptools=58.0.4=py36h06a4308_0
  - sqlite=3.45.3=h5eee18b_0
  - tk=8.6.14=h39e8969_0
  - wheel=0.37.1=pyhd3eb1b0_0
  - xz=5.6.4=h5eee18b_1
  - zlib=1.2.13=h5eee18b_1
  - pip:
      - asciimatics==1.14.0
      - attrs==22.2.0
      - coverage==6.2
      - execnet==1.9.0
      - future==1.0.0
      - importlib-metadata==4.8.3
      - iniconfig==1.1.1
      - packaging==21.3
      - pillow==8.4.0
      - pluggy==1.0.0
      - psutil==7.0.0
      - py==1.11.0
      - pyfiglet==0.8.post1
      - pyparsing==3.1.4
      - pyserial==3.5
      - pyserial-asyncio==0.6
      - pytest==7.0.1
      - pytest-asyncio==0.16.0
      - pytest-cov==4.0.0
      - pytest-mock==3.6.1
      - pytest-xdist==3.0.2
      - ruamel-yaml==0.15.37
      - sortedcontainers==2.4.0
      - terminaltables==3.1.10
      - tomli==1.2.3
      - typing==3.7.4.3
      - typing-extensions==4.1.1
      - wcwidth==0.2.13
      - zipp==3.6.0
prefix: /opt/conda/envs/mpf

mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_high_score_without_game
mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::testInvalidData mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::testLoadData mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_1_high_score mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_2_high_scores mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_2_high_scores_and_timeout mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_default_high_scores mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_more_than_3_chars mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_multiple_awards mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_new_score_to_incomplete_list mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_no_high_scores mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_reverse_sort mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_score_from_nonexistent_player_var mpf/tests/test_HighScoreMode.py::TestHighScoreMode::test_tilt_during_high_score
mpf/modes/high_score/code/high_score.py
mpf/modes/high_score/code/high_score.py