diff --git a/history.txt b/history.txt
index f1a8c15faf..27ac8c8d85 100644
--- a/history.txt
+++ b/history.txt
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+2009-06-09 zzz
+    * NTCP: Fix startup race NPE (thanks postman!)
+
 2009-06-08 sponge
     * Last commit for this cycle. All debugging except for WARN removed.
       I can use the visit command to debug now anyway.
diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterVersion.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterVersion.java
index 684de32148..2a0f94da6c 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterVersion.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/RouterVersion.java
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ public class RouterVersion {
     /** deprecated */
     public final static String ID = "Monotone";
     public final static String VERSION = CoreVersion.VERSION;
-    public final static long BUILD = 18;
+    public final static long BUILD = 19;
     /** for example "-test" */
     public final static String EXTRA = "-rc";
     public final static String FULL_VERSION = VERSION + "-" + BUILD + EXTRA;
diff --git a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPSendFinisher.java b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPSendFinisher.java
index 8d19c62498..207db4c3ca 100644
--- a/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPSendFinisher.java
+++ b/router/java/src/net/i2p/router/transport/ntcp/NTCPSendFinisher.java
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ public class NTCPSendFinisher {
     }
 
     public void stop() {
-        _executor.shutdownNow();
+        if (_executor != null)
+            _executor.shutdownNow();
     }
 
     public void add(OutNetMessage msg) {