diff --git a/org.eclipse.xtext.xbase/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xbase/resource/BatchLinkableResource.java b/org.eclipse.xtext.xbase/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xbase/resource/BatchLinkableResource.java
index 6ffe292cfc5..322549d5a28 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.xtext.xbase/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xbase/resource/BatchLinkableResource.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.xtext.xbase/src/org/eclipse/xtext/xbase/resource/BatchLinkableResource.java
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ public void ensureJvmMembersInitialized() {
 		LinkedHashSet<Triple<EObject, EReference, INode>> before = resolving;
 		try {
 			eSetDeliver(false);
-			if (!before.isEmpty()) {
+			if (before != null && !before.isEmpty()) {
 				resolving = new LinkedHashSet<Triple<EObject, EReference, INode>>();
 			}
 			if (isInitializingJvmMembers) {
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ public void ensureJvmMembersInitialized() {
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			log.error(e.getMessage(), e);
 		} finally {
-			if (!before.isEmpty()) {
+			if (before != null && !before.isEmpty()) {
 				resolving = before;
 			}
 			eSetDeliver(wasDeliver);
diff --git a/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/linking/lazy/LazyLinkingResource.java b/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/linking/lazy/LazyLinkingResource.java
index e1a7bb92325..2867b00391d 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/linking/lazy/LazyLinkingResource.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.xtext/src/org/eclipse/xtext/linking/lazy/LazyLinkingResource.java
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ protected void doLinking() {
 	/**
 	 * @since 2.4
 	 */
-	protected LinkedHashSet<Triple<EObject, EReference, INode>> resolving = Sets.newLinkedHashSet();
+	protected LinkedHashSet<Triple<EObject, EReference, INode>> resolving;
 
 	/**
 	 * resolves any lazy cross references in this resource, adding Issues for unresolvable elements to this resource.
@@ -250,6 +250,9 @@ public synchronized EObject getEObject(String uriFragment) {
 	protected EObject getEObject(String uriFragment, Triple<EObject, EReference, INode> triple) throws AssertionError {
 		cyclicLinkingDetectionCounter++;
 		if (cyclicLinkingDetectionCounter > cyclicLinkingDectectionCounterLimit) {
+			if (resolving == null) {
+				resolving = Sets.newLinkedHashSet();
+			}
 			if (!resolving.add(triple)) {
 				return handleCyclicResolution(triple);
 			}