diff --git a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs
index 2ab3db2f..ba9f5dba 100644
--- a/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs
+++ b/PROMS/VEPROMS.CSLA.Library/Extension/ItemExt.cs
@@ -2557,7 +2557,10 @@ namespace VEPROMS.CSLA.Library
 					tbformat = parentTab + (parentTab.EndsWith(".") ? "" : ".") + tbformat.TrimStart();
 				}
 			}
-			if (!IsHigh && (MyDocStyle.StructureStyle.Style & E_DocStructStyle.DSS_UnNumLikeRoman) == E_DocStructStyle.DSS_UnNumLikeRoman)
+			// If the document style has the flag DSS_UnNumLikeRoman, don't do the normal tab, change to alpha, 
+			// but only if there is a tab string for this step.  (the High level step is numbered with roman numerals, so
+			// don't want to continue using the roman numeral concatenated with substep tabs.
+			if (!IsHigh && tbformat!=null && tbformat != "" && (MyDocStyle.StructureStyle.Style & E_DocStructStyle.DSS_UnNumLikeRoman) == E_DocStructStyle.DSS_UnNumLikeRoman)
 				tbformat = "{alpha}.  ";
 
 			if (tbformat.IndexOf("#2#") > -1)