diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/commons/editor/htmleditor/HTMLEditorController.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/commons/editor/htmleditor/HTMLEditorController.java
index fb823d41242d37589a2ef3fb8f2a3a3bef411e9f..010853e76e6c47ec37cfd0475e250a32c89d4bf1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/commons/editor/htmleditor/HTMLEditorController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/commons/editor/htmleditor/HTMLEditorController.java
@@ -363,6 +363,10 @@ public class HTMLEditorController extends FormBasicController {
 	 * @return
 	 */
 	public RichTextConfiguration getRichTextConfiguration() {
+		if(htmlElement == null) {
+			//if the file is too big, 
+			return new RichTextConfiguration(getLocale());
+		}
 		return htmlElement.getEditorConfiguration();
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/richText/RichTextConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/richText/RichTextConfiguration.java
index 58590a328d780cf9354ee87bffa913295a4d1c2f..a84a694d63bbf3014cc6ef96f951195c72bfe998 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/richText/RichTextConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/core/gui/components/form/flexible/impl/elements/richText/RichTextConfiguration.java
@@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ public class RichTextConfiguration implements Disposable {
 	
 	private final Locale locale;
 	private TinyConfig tinyConfig;
+	
+	public RichTextConfiguration(Locale locale) {
+		this.locale = locale;
+		tinyConfig = TinyConfig.minimalisticConfig; 
+	}
 
 	/**
 	 * Constructor, only used by RichText element itself. Use
@@ -158,7 +163,7 @@ public class RichTextConfiguration implements Disposable {
 	 * @param domID The ID of the flexi element in the browser DOM
 	 * @param rootFormDispatchId The dispatch ID of the root form that deals with the submit button
 	 */
-	RichTextConfiguration(String domID, String rootFormDispatchId, Locale locale) {
+	public RichTextConfiguration(String domID, String rootFormDispatchId, Locale locale) {
 		this.domID = domID;
 		this.locale = locale;
 		// use exact mode that only applies to this DOM element