diff --git a/components/ideintf/menuintf.pas b/components/ideintf/menuintf.pas
index 941acf933f..0a4be91e17 100644
--- a/components/ideintf/menuintf.pas
+++ b/components/ideintf/menuintf.pas
@@ -598,7 +598,7 @@ begin
   if AValue<>nil then
     Bitmap.Assign(AValue)
   else
-    FBitmap.Free;
+    FreeAndNil(FBitmap);
   if MenuItem<>nil then
     MenuItem.Bitmap:=FBitmap;
 end;