diff --git a/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.cpp b/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.cpp
index 84b387a6..9e7b38dc 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.cpp
+++ b/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.cpp
@@ -93,6 +93,14 @@ bool PictureToLoad::nextSet()
     return true;
 }
 
+QString PictureToLoad::getSetName() const
+{
+    if (setIndex < sortedSets.size())
+        return sortedSets[setIndex]->getCorrectedShortName();
+    else
+        return QString("");
+}
+
 PictureLoader::PictureLoader(const QString &__picsPath, bool _picDownload, bool _picDownloadHq, QObject *parent)
     : QObject(parent),
       _picsPath(__picsPath), picDownload(_picDownload), picDownloadHq(_picDownloadHq),
@@ -127,9 +135,15 @@ void PictureLoader::processLoadQueue()
         mutex.unlock();
 
         //The list of paths to the folders in which to search for images
-        QList<QString> picsPaths = QList<QString>() << _picsPath + "/CUSTOM/" + ptl.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + ".full"
-                                                    << _picsPath + "/" + ptl.getSetName() + "/" + ptl.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + ".full"
-                                                    << _picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + ptl.getSetName() + "/" + ptl.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + ".full";
+        QList<QString> picsPaths = QList<QString>() << _picsPath + "/CUSTOM/" + ptl.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + ".full";
+
+
+        QString setName=ptl.getSetName();
+        if(!setName.isEmpty())
+        {
+            picsPaths   << _picsPath + "/" + setName + "/" + ptl.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + ".full"
+                        << _picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + setName + "/" + ptl.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + ".full";
+        }
 
         QImage image;
         QImageReader imgReader;
@@ -166,19 +180,24 @@ QString PictureLoader::getPicUrl(CardInfo *card)
 
     CardSet *set = card->getPreferredSet();
     QString picUrl = QString("");
-    // first check if Hq is enabled and a custom Hq card url exists in cards.xml
-    if(picDownloadHq)
+
+    // if sets have been defined for the card, they can contain custom picUrls
+    if(set)
     {
-        picUrl = card->getCustomPicURLHq(set->getShortName());
+        // first check if Hq is enabled and a custom Hq card url exists in cards.xml
+        if(picDownloadHq)
+        {
+            picUrl = card->getCustomPicURLHq(set->getShortName());
+            if (!picUrl.isEmpty())
+                return picUrl;
+        }
+
+        // then, test for a custom, non-Hq card url in cards.xml
+        picUrl = card->getCustomPicURL(set->getShortName());
         if (!picUrl.isEmpty())
             return picUrl;
     }
 
-    // then, test for a custom, non-Hq card url in cards.xml
-    picUrl = card->getCustomPicURL(set->getShortName());
-    if (!picUrl.isEmpty())
-        return picUrl;
-
     // otherwise, fallback to the default url
     picUrl = picDownloadHq ? settingsCache->getPicUrlHq() : settingsCache->getPicUrl();
     picUrl.replace("!name!", QUrl::toPercentEncoding(card->getCorrectedName()));
@@ -229,21 +248,25 @@ void PictureLoader::picDownloadFinished(QNetworkReply *reply)
         extension = ".jpg";
     
     if (imgReader.read(&testImage)) {
-        if (!QDir().mkpath(picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + cardBeingDownloaded.getSetName())) {
-            qDebug() << picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + cardBeingDownloaded.getSetName() + " could not be created.";
-            return;
+        QString setName = cardBeingDownloaded.getSetName();
+        if(!setName.isEmpty())
+        {
+            if (!QDir().mkpath(picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + setName)) {
+                qDebug() << picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + setName + " could not be created.";
+                return;
+            }
+
+            QString suffix;
+            if (!cardBeingDownloaded.getStripped())
+                suffix = ".full";
+
+            QFile newPic(picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + setName + "/" + cardBeingDownloaded.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + suffix + extension);
+            if (!newPic.open(QIODevice::WriteOnly))
+                return;
+            newPic.write(picData);
+            newPic.close();
         }
 
-        QString suffix;
-        if (!cardBeingDownloaded.getStripped())
-            suffix = ".full";
-
-        QFile newPic(picsPath + "/downloadedPics/" + cardBeingDownloaded.getSetName() + "/" + cardBeingDownloaded.getCard()->getCorrectedName() + suffix + extension);
-        if (!newPic.open(QIODevice::WriteOnly))
-            return;
-        newPic.write(picData);
-        newPic.close();
-
         emit imageLoaded(cardBeingDownloaded.getCard(), testImage);
     } else if (cardBeingDownloaded.getHq()) {
         qDebug() << "HQ: received invalid picture. URL:" << reply->request().url();
@@ -456,6 +479,8 @@ void CardInfo::updatePixmapCache()
 
 CardSet* CardInfo::getPreferredSet()
 {
+    if(sets.isEmpty())
+        return 0;
     SetList sortedSets = sets;
     sortedSets.sortByKey();
     return sortedSets.first();
@@ -463,7 +488,8 @@ CardSet* CardInfo::getPreferredSet()
 
 int CardInfo::getPreferredMuId()
 {
-    return muIds[getPreferredSet()->getShortName()];
+    CardSet *set = getPreferredSet();
+    return set ? muIds[set->getShortName()] : 0;
 }
 
 QString CardInfo::simplifyName(const QString &name) {
diff --git a/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.h b/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.h
index bb151e7d..91abac59 100644
--- a/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.h
+++ b/cockatrice/src/carddatabase.h
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ public:
     PictureToLoad(CardInfo *_card = 0, bool _stripped = false, bool _hq = true);
     CardInfo *getCard() const { return card; }
     bool getStripped() const { return stripped; }
-    QString getSetName() const { return sortedSets[setIndex]->getCorrectedShortName(); }
+    QString getSetName() const;
     bool nextSet();
     bool getHq() const { return hq; }
     void setHq(bool _hq) { hq = _hq; }