diff --git a/forms/TabSet.php b/forms/TabSet.php
index 0d844a5af..5307c44fc 100644
--- a/forms/TabSet.php
+++ b/forms/TabSet.php
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ class TabSet extends CompositeField {
 		$this->tabSet = $val;
 	}
 	public function getTabSet() {
-		return $this->tabSet;
+		if(isset($this->tabSet)) return $this->tabSet;
 	}
 	
 	/**
@@ -90,4 +90,4 @@ class TabSet extends CompositeField {
 		parent::removeByName( $tabName );
 	}
 }
-?>
\ No newline at end of file
+?>