diff --git a/src/main/java/org/olat/modules/qpool/ui/metadata/GeneralMetadataEditController.java b/src/main/java/org/olat/modules/qpool/ui/metadata/GeneralMetadataEditController.java
index cce4992821922ccd5831fd876b3745e78cbe9c81..472331a32b28b2aa9ccb8ffc76b2536870229313 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/olat/modules/qpool/ui/metadata/GeneralMetadataEditController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/olat/modules/qpool/ui/metadata/GeneralMetadataEditController.java
@@ -144,8 +144,8 @@ public class GeneralMetadataEditController extends FormBasicController {
 						taxonomyLevelEl.select(taxonomyKey, true);
 					}
 				}
-				if (!taxonomyLevelEl.isOneSelected()) {
-					selectableValues[0] = ((QuestionItemImpl) item).getTaxonomyLevel().getDisplayName();
+				if (!taxonomyLevelEl.isOneSelected() && itemImpl.getTaxonomyLevel() != null) {
+					selectableValues[0] = itemImpl.getTaxonomyLevel().getDisplayName();
 					taxonomyLevelEl.setEnabled(false);
 				}
 			}