setTimeout('updateFeedList(false, false)', 50);                 
                        _reload_feedlist_after_view = false;
                } else {
-                       var counters = transport.responseXML.getElementsByTagName("counters")[0];
+                       if (transport.responseXML) {
+                               var counters = transport.responseXML.getElementsByTagName("counters")[0];
 
-                       if (counters) {
-                               debug("parsing piggybacked counters: " + counters);
-                               parse_counters(counters, false);
-                       } else {
-                               debug("counters container not found in reply, requesting...");
-                               request_counters();
+                               if (counters) {
+                                       debug("parsing piggybacked counters: " + counters);
+                                       parse_counters(counters, false);
+                               } else {
+                                       debug("counters container not found in reply, requesting...");
+                                       request_counters();
+                               }
                        }
                }