diff --git includes/file.inc includes/file.inc
index afa619c..5884540 100644
--- includes/file.inc
+++ includes/file.inc
@@ -118,7 +118,9 @@ function file_check_directory(&$directory, $mode = 0, $form_item = NULL) {
       drupal_set_message(t('The permissions of directory %directory have been changed to make it writable.', array('%directory' => $directory)));
     }
     else {
-      form_set_error($form_item, t('The directory %directory is not writable', array('%directory' => $directory)));
+      if ($form_item) {
+        form_set_error($form_item, t('The directory %directory is not writable', array('%directory' => $directory)));
+      }
       watchdog('file system', 'The directory %directory is not writable, because it does not have the correct permissions set.', array('%directory' => $directory), WATCHDOG_ERROR);
       return FALSE;
     }
@@ -132,7 +134,9 @@ function file_check_directory(&$directory, $mode = 0, $form_item = NULL) {
     }
     else {
       $variables = array('%directory' => $directory, '!htaccess' => '<br />'. nl2br(check_plain($htaccess_lines)));
-      form_set_error($form_item, t("Security warning: Couldn't write .htaccess file. Please create a .htaccess file in your %directory directory which contains the following lines: <code>!htaccess</code>", $variables));
+      if ($form_item) {
+        form_set_error($form_item, t("Security warning: Couldn't write .htaccess file. Please create a .htaccess file in your %directory directory which contains the following lines: <code>!htaccess</code>", $variables));
+      }
       watchdog('security', "Security warning: Couldn't write .htaccess file. Please create a .htaccess file in your %directory directory which contains the following lines: <code>!htaccess</code>", $variables, WATCHDOG_ERROR);
     }
   }