Index: nodehierarchy/nodehierarchy.module
===================================================================
--- nodehierarchy/nodehierarchy.module	(revision 1094)
+++ nodehierarchy/nodehierarchy.module	(working copy)
@@ -447,8 +447,8 @@
     // load up the order_by field, in case it is needed for later operations.
     $additions = nodehierarchy_load_node($node);
     $node->order_by = $additions['order_by'];
-  } 
-  
+  }
+
 }
 
 /**
@@ -782,7 +782,8 @@
     if (($add_node || $parent->nid != $node->nid) && $item['href'] != '<front>' && $item['href'] != $homepage) {
       $breadcrumb[] = l($parent->title, "node/". $parent->nid);
     }
-    $parent = node_load($parent->parent);
+
+    $parent = isset($parent->parent) ? node_load($parent->parent) : NULL;
   }
   $breadcrumb[] = l(t('Home'), '<front>');