diff --git a/src/com/android/contacts/list/ContactEntryListAdapter.java b/src/com/android/contacts/list/ContactEntryListAdapter.java
index 95a8c2b..62b678c 100644
--- a/src/com/android/contacts/list/ContactEntryListAdapter.java
+++ b/src/com/android/contacts/list/ContactEntryListAdapter.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.Contacts;
 import android.provider.ContactsContract.Directory;
 import android.text.TextUtils;
+import android.util.Log;
 import android.view.LayoutInflater;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ViewGroup;
@@ -320,9 +321,16 @@
 
     /**
      * Updates partitions according to the directory meta-data contained in the supplied
-     * cursor.  Takes ownership of the cursor and will close it.
+     * cursor.
      */
     public void changeDirectories(Cursor cursor) {
+        if (cursor.getCount() == 0) {
+            // Directory table must have at least local directory, without which this adapter will
+            // enter very weird state.
+            Log.e(TAG, "Directory search loader returned an empty cursor, which implies we have " +
+                    "no directory entries.", new RuntimeException());
+            return;
+        }
         HashSet<Long> directoryIds = new HashSet<Long>();
 
         int idColumnIndex = cursor.getColumnIndex(Directory._ID);