diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/operations/RefreshFolderOperation.java b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/operations/RefreshFolderOperation.java
index 78c367c4ba33..d35beb778a45 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/operations/RefreshFolderOperation.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/operations/RefreshFolderOperation.java
@@ -236,6 +236,10 @@ protected RemoteOperationResult run(OwnCloudClient client) {
         mConflictsFound = 0;
         mForgottenLocalFiles.clear();
 
+        if (mLocalFolder == null || mLocalFolder.getRemotePath() == null) {
+            return new RemoteOperationResult<>(ResultCode.LOCAL_FILE_NOT_FOUND);
+        }
+
         if (OCFile.ROOT_PATH.equals(mLocalFolder.getRemotePath()) && !mSyncFullAccount && !mOnlyFileMetadata) {
             updateOCVersion(client);
             updateUserProfile();
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/activity/FileDisplayActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/activity/FileDisplayActivity.java
index b52eab01ea1b..d5e301af4bb9 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/activity/FileDisplayActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/owncloud/android/ui/activity/FileDisplayActivity.java
@@ -1970,6 +1970,9 @@ public void startSyncFolderOperation(OCFile folder, boolean ignoreETag) {
      * @param ignoreFocus reloads file list even without focus, e.g. on tablet mode, focus can still be in detail view
      */
     public void startSyncFolderOperation(final OCFile folder, final boolean ignoreETag, boolean ignoreFocus) {
+        if (folder == null) {
+            return;
+        }
 
         // the execution is slightly delayed to allow the activity get the window focus if it's being started
         // or if the method is called from a dialog that is being dismissed