diff --git a/ExprPrimaryNodes.py b/ExprPrimaryNodes.py
index c00680a400a63fb5dc50ce22225387f5234cc632..c1a0593225ea49303d8242f945afc73efd3d7b81 100644
--- a/ExprPrimaryNodes.py
+++ b/ExprPrimaryNodes.py
@@ -439,8 +439,12 @@ class FieldAccessNode(ASTNode):
         self.myType = self.ID.myType
 
         # check protected
-        if "protected" in self.ID.prefixLink.mods:
-            checkProtected(self.ID.prefixLink, self)
+        try:
+            if "protected" in self.ID.prefixLink.mods:
+                checkProtected(self.ID.prefixLink, self)
+        except: # where there are no mods
+            return
+
 
 
 ###################################################################################