diff --git a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemInsertExt.cs b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemInsertExt.cs
index 1916f78f..0ff507f5 100644
--- a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemInsertExt.cs
+++ b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemInsertExt.cs
@@ -543,12 +543,15 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 		private static int GetMaxSubStepLevel(ItemInfo parent)
 		{
 			int maxStepLevel = parent.StepLevel-1; // subtract one to account for HLS - we want the sub-step level
-			foreach (ItemInfo kid in parent.Steps)
+			if (parent.Steps != null)		// B2021-033: check for null
 			{
-				if (kid.Steps != null)
-					maxStepLevel = Math.Max(maxStepLevel, GetMaxSubStepLevel(kid));
-				else
-					maxStepLevel = Math.Max(maxStepLevel,kid.StepLevel-1); // subtract one to account for HLS because we are counting only sub-step levels
+				foreach (ItemInfo kid in parent.Steps)
+				{
+					if (kid.Steps != null)
+						maxStepLevel = Math.Max(maxStepLevel, GetMaxSubStepLevel(kid));
+					else
+						maxStepLevel = Math.Max(maxStepLevel, kid.StepLevel - 1); // subtract one to account for HLS because we are counting only sub-step levels
+				}
 			}
 			return maxStepLevel;
 		}