diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/activity/MediaplayerInfoActivity.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/activity/MediaplayerInfoActivity.java
index 858f28747..4fec1cfc5 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/activity/MediaplayerInfoActivity.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/activity/MediaplayerInfoActivity.java
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ public abstract class MediaplayerInfoActivity extends MediaplayerActivity implem
         pager.setCurrentItem(lastPosition);
     }
 
+    @Override
     protected void onStart() {
         super.onStart();
         EventDistributor.getInstance().register(contentUpdate);
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/fragment/ItemFragment.java b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/fragment/ItemFragment.java
index 149718569..432ada44e 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/fragment/ItemFragment.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/fragment/ItemFragment.java
@@ -603,8 +603,9 @@ public class ItemFragment extends Fragment implements OnSwipeGesture {
     @Nullable
     private FeedItem loadInBackground() {
         FeedItem feedItem = DBReader.getFeedItem(feedItems[feedItemPos]);
-        if (feedItem != null) {
-            Timeline t = new Timeline(getContext(), feedItem);
+        Context context = getContext();
+        if (feedItem != null && context != null) {
+            Timeline t = new Timeline(context, feedItem);
             webviewData = t.processShownotes(false);
         }
         return feedItem;
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/PlayerWidgetJobService.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/PlayerWidgetJobService.java
index 1165d689a..b26d3011d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/PlayerWidgetJobService.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/PlayerWidgetJobService.java
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ public class PlayerWidgetJobService extends SafeJobIntentService {
 
     private PlaybackService playbackService;
     private final Object waitForService = new Object();
+    private final Object waitUsingService = new Object();
 
     private static final int JOB_ID = -17001;
 
@@ -67,7 +68,11 @@ public class PlayerWidgetJobService extends SafeJobIntentService {
             }
         }
 
-        updateViews();
+        synchronized (waitUsingService) {
+            if (playbackService != null) {
+                updateViews();
+            }
+        }
 
         if (playbackService != null) {
             try {
@@ -230,7 +235,9 @@ public class PlayerWidgetJobService extends SafeJobIntentService {
 
         @Override
         public void onServiceDisconnected(ComponentName name) {
-            playbackService = null;
+            synchronized (waitUsingService) {
+                playbackService = null;
+            }
             Log.d(TAG, "Disconnected from service");
         }
 
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/playback/LocalPSMP.java b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/playback/LocalPSMP.java
index 7988526d9..9a8353806 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/playback/LocalPSMP.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/de/danoeh/antennapod/core/service/playback/LocalPSMP.java
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ public class LocalPSMP extends PlaybackServiceMediaPlayer {
             callback.onMediaChanged(false);
             if (stream) {
                 mediaPlayer.setDataSource(media.getStreamUrl());
-            } else if (new File(media.getLocalMediaUrl()).canRead()) {
+            } else if (media.getLocalMediaUrl() != null && new File(media.getLocalMediaUrl()).canRead()) {
                 mediaPlayer.setDataSource(media.getLocalMediaUrl());
             } else {
                 throw new IOException("Unable to read local file " + media.getLocalMediaUrl());