diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java b/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java
index 25177c816..ac2f0da9a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public RegionsWithinColumnsDirectRule() {
     public String checkRuleRawAt(TreeTransition transition, PuzzleElement puzzleElement) {
         ColumnsWithinRegionsDirectRule correspondingRule = new ColumnsWithinRegionsDirectRule();
         String result = correspondingRule.checkRuleRawAt(transition, puzzleElement);
-        if (result.equals("Only black out cells outside the column(s)!")) {
+        if (result != null && result.equals("Only black out cells outside the column(s)!")) {
             return "Only black out cells outside the region(s)!";
         }
         return result;
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinRowsDirectRule.java b/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinRowsDirectRule.java
index 2635c40cf..8219f9c01 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinRowsDirectRule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RegionsWithinRowsDirectRule.java
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public String checkRuleRawAt(TreeTransition transition, PuzzleElement puzzleElem
 
         RowsWithinRegionsDirectRule correspondingRule = new RowsWithinRegionsDirectRule();
         String result = correspondingRule.checkRuleRawAt(transition, puzzleElement);
-        if (result.equals("Only black out cells outside the row(s)!")) {
+        if (result != null && result.equals("Only black out cells outside the row(s)!")) {
             return "Only black out cells outside the region(s)!";
         }
         return result;
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RowsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java b/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RowsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java
index 3f56f33a1..39e3b46c4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RowsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/rpi/legup/puzzle/starbattle/rules/RowsWithinColumnsDirectRule.java
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ public String checkRuleRawAt(TreeTransition transition, PuzzleElement puzzleElem
 
         ColumnsWithinRowsDirectRule correspondingRule = new ColumnsWithinRowsDirectRule();
         String result = correspondingRule.checkRuleRawAt(transition, puzzleElement);
-        if (result.equals("Only black out cells outside the column(s)!")) {
+        if (result != null && result.equals("Only black out cells outside the column(s)!")) {
             return "Only black out cells outside the row(s)!";
         }
         return result;