diff --git a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/modules/filetypeid/FileTypeDetector.java b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/modules/filetypeid/FileTypeDetector.java
index a0da674723..e7b2a9e4da 100644
--- a/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/modules/filetypeid/FileTypeDetector.java
+++ b/Core/src/org/sleuthkit/autopsy/modules/filetypeid/FileTypeDetector.java
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ public class FileTypeDetector {
     private static final int BUFFER_SIZE = 64 * 1024;
     private final byte buffer[] = new byte[BUFFER_SIZE];
     private final List<FileType> userDefinedFileTypes;
-    private static Blackboard blackboard;
     private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(FileTypeDetector.class.getName());
 
     /**
@@ -174,7 +173,6 @@ public class FileTypeDetector {
      * @throws TskCoreException
      */
     public String detect(AbstractFile file) throws TskCoreException {
-        blackboard = Case.getCurrentCase().getServices().getBlackboard();
         // consistently mark non-regular files (refer TskData.TSK_FS_META_TYPE_ENUM),
         // 0 sized files, unallocated, and unused blocks (refer TskData.TSK_DB_FILES_TYPE_ENUM)
         // as octet-stream.
@@ -247,11 +245,13 @@ public class FileTypeDetector {
 
                     try {
                         // index the artifact for keyword search
-                        blackboard.indexArtifact(artifact);
+                        Case.getCurrentCase().getServices().getBlackboard().indexArtifact(artifact);
                     } catch (Blackboard.BlackboardException ex) {
                         logger.log(Level.SEVERE, NbBundle.getMessage(Blackboard.class, "Blackboard.unableToIndexArtifact.error.msg", artifact.getDisplayName()), ex); //NON-NLS
                         MessageNotifyUtil.Notify.error(
                                 NbBundle.getMessage(Blackboard.class, "Blackboard.unableToIndexArtifact.exception.msg"), artifact.getDisplayName());
+                    } catch (IllegalStateException ex) {
+                        throw new TskCoreException("There is no current case.");
                     }
                 }
                 return fileType.getMimeType();