diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/AdminSearchSettingsPartDriver.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/AdminSearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
index 41b288286..d505ff94a 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/AdminSearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/AdminSearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
@@ -75,9 +75,11 @@ namespace Orchard.Search.Drivers {
             if (xElement == null) return;
             
             var searchedFields = xElement.Attribute("SearchedFields");
-            searchedFields.Remove();
+            if (searchedFields != null) {
+                searchedFields.Remove();
 
-            part.SearchedFields = searchedFields.Value.Split(new[] { "," }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
+                part.SearchedFields = searchedFields.Value.Split(new[] { "," }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries); 
+            }
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
index 9e35a324b..005190c0d 100644
--- a/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
+++ b/src/Orchard.Web/Modules/Orchard.Search/Drivers/SearchSettingsPartDriver.cs
@@ -73,9 +73,11 @@ namespace Orchard.Search.Drivers {
             if (xElement == null) return;
             
             var searchedFields = xElement.Attribute("SearchedFields");
-            searchedFields.Remove();
+            if (searchedFields != null) {
+                searchedFields.Remove();
 
-            part.SearchedFields = searchedFields.Value.Split(new[] { "," }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries);
+                part.SearchedFields = searchedFields.Value.Split(new[] { "," }, StringSplitOptions.RemoveEmptyEntries); 
+            }
         }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file