diff --git a/browser/components/places/src/nsPlacesImportExportService.cpp b/browser/components/places/src/nsPlacesImportExportService.cpp
index ec818fffcbce..666a487605bb 100644
--- a/browser/components/places/src/nsPlacesImportExportService.cpp
+++ b/browser/components/places/src/nsPlacesImportExportService.cpp
@@ -2038,17 +2038,19 @@ nsPlacesImportExportService::WriteLivemark(nsINavHistoryResultNode* aFolder, con
   nsCOMPtr<nsIURI> feedURI;
   rv = mLivemarkService->GetFeedURI(folderId, getter_AddRefs(feedURI));
   NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
-  nsCString feedSpec;
-  rv = feedURI->GetSpec(feedSpec);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
+  if (feedURI) {
+    nsCString feedSpec;
+    rv = feedURI->GetSpec(feedSpec);
+    NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
 
-  // write feed URI
-  rv = aOutput->Write(kFeedURIAttribute, sizeof(kFeedURIAttribute)-1, &dummy);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
-  rv = WriteEscapedUrl(feedSpec, aOutput);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
-  rv = aOutput->Write(kQuoteStr, sizeof(kQuoteStr)-1, &dummy);
-  NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
+    // write feed URI
+    rv = aOutput->Write(kFeedURIAttribute, sizeof(kFeedURIAttribute)-1, &dummy);
+    NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
+    rv = WriteEscapedUrl(feedSpec, aOutput);
+    NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
+    rv = aOutput->Write(kQuoteStr, sizeof(kQuoteStr)-1, &dummy);
+    NS_ENSURE_SUCCESS(rv, rv);
+  }
 
   // get the optional site URI
   nsCOMPtr<nsIURI> siteURI;
diff --git a/toolkit/components/places/src/nsLivemarkService.js b/toolkit/components/places/src/nsLivemarkService.js
index cffd4fe996fc..f889cc95d282 100644
--- a/toolkit/components/places/src/nsLivemarkService.js
+++ b/toolkit/components/places/src/nsLivemarkService.js
@@ -301,17 +301,21 @@ LivemarkService.prototype = {
   *         startup.
   */
   getSiteURI: function LS_getSiteURI(container) {
-    this._ensureLivemark(container);
-    var siteURIString;
-    try { 
-      siteURIString =
+    try {
+      this._ensureLivemark(container);
+      
+      // getItemAnnotationString() can throw if there is no annotation
+      var siteURIString =
         this._ans.getItemAnnotationString(container, LMANNO_SITEURI);
+
+      return gIoService.newURI(siteURIString, null, null);
     }
     catch (ex) {
-      return null;
+      // temporary logging, for bug #381894
+      LOG("getSiteURI failed: " + ex);
+      LOG("siteURIString: " + siteURIString);
     }
-
-    return gIoService.newURI(siteURIString, null, null);
+    return null;
   },
 
   setSiteURI: function LS_setSiteURI(container, siteURI) {
@@ -327,9 +331,19 @@ LivemarkService.prototype = {
   },
 
   getFeedURI: function LS_getFeedURI(container) {
-    return gIoService.newURI(this._ans.getItemAnnotationString(container,
-                                                               LMANNO_FEEDURI),
-                             null, null);
+    try {
+      // getItemAnnotationString() can throw if there is no annotation
+      var feedURIString = this._ans.getItemAnnotationString(container,
+                                                            LMANNO_FEEDURI);
+       
+      return gIoService.newURI(feedURIString, null, null);
+    }
+    catch (ex) {
+      // temporary logging, for bug #381894
+      LOG("getFeedURI failed: " + ex);
+      LOG("feedURIString: " + feedURIString);
+    }
+    return null;
   },
 
   setFeedURI: function LS_setFeedURI(container, feedURI) {