--- a/libs/libmythui/mythuiwebbrowser.cpp
+++ b/libs/libmythui/mythuiwebbrowser.cpp
@@ -873,4 +873,8 @@
 void MythUIWebBrowser::Init(void)
 {
+    // only do the initialisation for widgets not being stored in the global object store
+    if (parent() == GetGlobalObjectStore())
+        return;
+
     if (m_initialized)
         return;
@@ -1128,4 +1132,7 @@
 void MythUIWebBrowser::SetActive(bool active)
 {
+    if (!m_browser)
+        return;
+
     if (m_active == active)
         return;
@@ -1326,4 +1333,7 @@
 void MythUIWebBrowser::Scroll(int dx, int dy)
 {
+    if (!m_browser)
+        return;
+
     QPoint startPos = m_browser->page()->currentFrame()->scrollPosition();
     QPoint endPos = startPos + QPoint(dx, dy);
@@ -1435,4 +1445,7 @@
 void MythUIWebBrowser::UpdateScrollBars(void)
 {
+    if (!m_browser)
+        return;
+
     QPoint position = m_browser->page()->currentFrame()->scrollPosition();
     if (m_verticalScrollbar)
@@ -1461,5 +1474,5 @@
     UpdateScrollBars();
 
-    if (!m_image)
+    if (!m_image || !m_browser)
         return;
 
@@ -1480,4 +1493,7 @@
 void MythUIWebBrowser::Pulse(void)
 {
+    if (!m_browser)
+        return;
+
     if (m_scrollAnimation.IsActive() &&
         m_destinationScrollPos !=
@@ -1522,4 +1538,7 @@
 bool MythUIWebBrowser::keyPressEvent(QKeyEvent *event)
 {
+    if (!m_browser)
+        return false;
+
     QStringList actions;
     bool handled = false;