diff --git a/lisp/org.el b/lisp/org.el
index ec9718d68..a6ab3199b 100644
--- a/lisp/org.el
+++ b/lisp/org.el
@@ -9524,8 +9524,9 @@ active region."
 	   ;; Store a link using the ID at point
 	   (setq link (condition-case nil
 			  (prog1 (org-id-store-link)
-			    (setq desc (plist-get org-store-link-plist
-						  :description)))
+			    (setq desc (or (plist-get org-store-link-plist
+						      :description)
+					   "")))
 			(error
 			 ;; Probably before first headline, link only to file
 			 (concat "file:"
@@ -9586,9 +9587,9 @@ active region."
        ;; We're done setting link and desc, clean up
        (if (consp link) (setq cpltxt (car link) link (cdr link)))
        (setq link (or link cpltxt)
-	     desc (or desc cpltxt ""))
+	     desc (or desc cpltxt))
        (cond ((equal desc "NONE") (setq desc nil))
-	     ((string-match org-bracket-link-analytic-regexp desc)
+	     ((and desc (string-match org-bracket-link-analytic-regexp desc))
 	      (let ((d0 (match-string 3 desc))
 		    (p0 (match-string 5 desc)))
 		(setq desc