diff --git a/include/class.dept.php b/include/class.dept.php
index 0822e056f1c9890e71694bfc0ee129fab7798b16..38b372f8acc8bcb09a3ce51c05e39c2c002756da 100644
--- a/include/class.dept.php
+++ b/include/class.dept.php
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ class Dept {
         global $cfg;
 
         if(!$this->email)
-            if(!($this->email = Email::lookup($this->getEmailId())))
+            if(!($this->email = Email::lookup($this->getEmailId())) && $cfg)
                 $this->email = $cfg->getDefaultEmail();
 
         return $this->email;