diff --git a/packages/fcl-db/src/base/db.pas b/packages/fcl-db/src/base/db.pas
index ca6681cb83..fcadeea1d1 100644
--- a/packages/fcl-db/src/base/db.pas
+++ b/packages/fcl-db/src/base/db.pas
@@ -2042,7 +2042,12 @@ procedure TDefCollection.SetItemName(AItem: TCollectionItem);
 begin
   with AItem as TNamedItem do
     if Name = '' then
-      Name := Dataset.Name + Copy(ClassName, 2, 5) + IntToStr(ID+1)
+      begin
+      if assigned(Dataset) then
+        Name := Dataset.Name + Copy(ClassName, 2, 5) + IntToStr(ID+1)
+      else
+        Name := Copy(ClassName, 2, 5) + IntToStr(ID+1);
+      end
   else inherited SetItemName(AItem);
 end;
 
diff --git a/packages/fcl-db/tests/testbasics.pas b/packages/fcl-db/tests/testbasics.pas
index 5501054caa..542f391795 100644
--- a/packages/fcl-db/tests/testbasics.pas
+++ b/packages/fcl-db/tests/testbasics.pas
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ type
     procedure TestParseSQL;
     procedure TestInitFielddefsFromFields;
     procedure TestDoubleFieldDef;
+    procedure TestFieldDefWithoutDS;
   end;
 
 implementation
@@ -170,6 +171,14 @@ begin
   AssertTrue(PassException);
 end;
 
+procedure TTestBasics.TestFieldDefWithoutDS;
+var FieldDefs : TFieldDefs;
+begin
+  FieldDefs := TFieldDefs.Create(nil);
+  FieldDefs.Add('test',ftString);
+  FieldDefs.Free;
+end;
+
 initialization
   RegisterTest(TTestBasics);
 end.