diff --git a/pd/nw/pdgui.js b/pd/nw/pdgui.js
index 4f71c0b14ee12187ca2382fb5b07ffb9eda23771..a5c38a5fd4a8765d605d97f2a61b04adbd783272 100644
--- a/pd/nw/pdgui.js
+++ b/pd/nw/pdgui.js
@@ -1955,11 +1955,14 @@ function gui_message_flash(cid, tag, state) {
 }
 
 function gui_message_redraw_border(cid, tag, width, height) {
-    var g = get_gobj(cid, tag),
+    var g, b;
+    if (patchwin[cid]) {
+        g = get_gobj(cid, tag);
         b = g.querySelector(".border");
-    configure_item(b, {
-        points: message_border_points(width, height),
-    });
+        configure_item(b, {
+            points: message_border_points(width, height),
+        });
+    }
 }
 
 function atom_border_points(width, height, is_dropdown) {