diff --git a/content.module b/content.module
index 80d20fd..9706638 100644
--- a/content.module
+++ b/content.module
@@ -921,6 +921,10 @@ function content_field($op, &$node, $field, &$items, $teaser, $page) {
  *   returns filtered and adjusted item array
  */
 function content_set_empty($field, $items) {
+  if (!isset($field['columns'])) {
+    return NULL;
+  }
+  
   // Prepare an empty item.
   $empty = array();
   foreach (array_keys($field['columns']) as $column) {