diff --git a/noderefcreate.module b/noderefcreate.module
index 90a44e4..77286a4 100644
--- a/noderefcreate.module
+++ b/noderefcreate.module
@@ -87,6 +87,8 @@ function noderefcreate_field_widget_form(&$form, &$form_state, $field, $instance
 function noderefcreate_autocomplete_validate($element, &$form_state, $form) {
   $field = $form_state['field'][$element['#field_name']][$element['#language']]['field'];
   $instance = $form_state['field'][$element['#field_name']][$element['#language']]['instance'];
+  $field = field_widget_field($element, $form_state);
+  $instance = field_widget_instance($element, $form_state);

   $value = $element['#value'];
   $nid = NULL;
@@ -127,7 +129,7 @@ function noderefcreate_autocomplete_validate($element, &$form_state, $form) {
         $nid = key($reference);
       }
       else {
-        $newnode = NULL;
+        $newnode = new stdClass();
         if (is_array($field['settings']['referenceable_types'])) {
           foreach (array_filter($field['settings']['referenceable_types']) as $related_type) {
             $newnode->type = $related_type;