diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs
index 046553ba6a..d2cd37dc8d 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/SceneObjectPart.cs
@@ -1706,6 +1706,9 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
         /// <param name="isNew"></param>
         public void DoPhysicsPropertyUpdate(bool UsePhysics, bool isNew)
         {
+            if (ParentGroup.Scene == null)
+                return;
+            
             if (!ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicalPrims && UsePhysics)
                 return;
 
@@ -4161,7 +4164,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             // For now, we use the NINJA naming scheme for identifying joints.
             // In the future, we can support other joint specification schemes such as a 
             // custom checkbox in the viewer GUI.
-            if (ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicsScene.SupportsNINJAJoints)
+            if (ParentGroup.Scene != null && ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicsScene.SupportsNINJAJoints)
             {
                 string hingeString = "hingejoint";
                 return (Name.Length >= hingeString.Length && Name.Substring(0, hingeString.Length) == hingeString);
@@ -4177,7 +4180,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             // For now, we use the NINJA naming scheme for identifying joints.
             // In the future, we can support other joint specification schemes such as a 
             // custom checkbox in the viewer GUI.
-            if (ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicsScene.SupportsNINJAJoints)
+            if (ParentGroup.Scene != null && ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicsScene.SupportsNINJAJoints)
             {
                 string ballString = "balljoint";
                 return (Name.Length >= ballString.Length && Name.Substring(0, ballString.Length) == ballString);
@@ -4193,7 +4196,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes
             // For now, we use the NINJA naming scheme for identifying joints.
             // In the future, we can support other joint specification schemes such as a 
             // custom checkbox in the viewer GUI.
-            if (ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicsScene.SupportsNINJAJoints)
+            if (ParentGroup.Scene != null && ParentGroup.Scene.PhysicsScene.SupportsNINJAJoints)
             {
                 return IsHingeJoint() || IsBallJoint();
             }
diff --git a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Tests/SceneObjectStatusTests.cs b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Tests/SceneObjectStatusTests.cs
index 2a342d50c8..16e8b63378 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Tests/SceneObjectStatusTests.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Region/Framework/Scenes/Tests/SceneObjectStatusTests.cs
@@ -62,5 +62,25 @@ namespace OpenSim.Region.Framework.Scenes.Tests
 
             Assert.That(rootPart.Flags, Is.EqualTo(PrimFlags.None));            
         }
+
+        [Test]
+        public void TestSetPhysics()
+        {
+            TestHelpers.InMethod();
+
+//            Scene scene = SceneSetupHelpers.SetupScene();
+            SceneObjectGroup so = SceneHelpers.CreateSceneObject(1, UUID.Zero);
+            SceneObjectPart rootPart = so.RootPart;
+            Assert.That(rootPart.Flags, Is.EqualTo(PrimFlags.None));
+
+            so.ScriptSetPhysicsStatus(true);
+
+//            Console.WriteLine("so.RootPart.Flags [{0}]", so.RootPart.Flags);
+            Assert.That(rootPart.Flags, Is.EqualTo(PrimFlags.Physics));
+
+            so.ScriptSetPhysicsStatus(false);
+
+            Assert.That(rootPart.Flags, Is.EqualTo(PrimFlags.None));            
+        }
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Helpers/SceneHelpers.cs b/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Helpers/SceneHelpers.cs
index 318758d984..7a6b1cf8d5 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Helpers/SceneHelpers.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Tests/Common/Helpers/SceneHelpers.cs
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Tests.Common
             PhysicsPluginManager physicsPluginManager = new PhysicsPluginManager();
             physicsPluginManager.LoadPluginsFromAssembly("Physics/OpenSim.Region.Physics.BasicPhysicsPlugin.dll");
             testScene.PhysicsScene
-                = physicsPluginManager.GetPhysicsScene("basicphysics", "ZeroMesher",   new IniConfigSource(), "test");
+                = physicsPluginManager.GetPhysicsScene("basicphysics", "ZeroMesher", new IniConfigSource(), "test");
 
             testScene.RegionInfo.EstateSettings = new EstateSettings();
             testScene.LoginsDisabled = false;