diff --git a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs
index 6aa9852e..f181bcf7 100644
--- a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs
+++ b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs
@@ -3771,7 +3771,7 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 			{
 				// fix for Westinghouse single column
 				// - increament the level on a section only if the first character is a number  B2016-075  03-09-2016
-				if (ii.IsSection && (ii.MyTab.Text == null ||  char.IsNumber(ii.MyTab.Text.Trim()[0]))) level++;
+				if (ii.IsSection && (ii.MyTab.Text != null && ii.MyTab.Text.Length > 0 &&  char.IsNumber(ii.MyTab.Text.Trim()[0]))) level++;
 				ii = ii.ActiveParent as ItemInfo;
 			}
 			return level;