diff --git a/core/jni/android/graphics/Typeface.cpp b/core/jni/android/graphics/Typeface.cpp
index 238ece1c849cd..7c7bfebd5f192 100644
--- a/core/jni/android/graphics/Typeface.cpp
+++ b/core/jni/android/graphics/Typeface.cpp
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ static SkTypeface* Typeface_createFromTypeface(JNIEnv* env, jobject, SkTypeface*
 }
  
 static void Typeface_unref(JNIEnv* env, jobject obj, SkTypeface* face) {
-    face->unref();
+    SkSafeUnref(face);
 }
 
 static int Typeface_getStyle(JNIEnv* env, jobject obj, SkTypeface* face) {
diff --git a/graphics/java/android/graphics/Typeface.java b/graphics/java/android/graphics/Typeface.java
index f0d5a6a7ddc72..bc92d3ad8bc91 100644
--- a/graphics/java/android/graphics/Typeface.java
+++ b/graphics/java/android/graphics/Typeface.java
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ public class Typeface {
 
     // don't allow clients to call this directly
     private Typeface(int ni) {
+        if (0 == ni) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("native typeface cannot be made");
+        }
         native_instance = ni;
     }