Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/LafPreference.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/LafPreference.java	(revision 1177)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/gui/preferences/LafPreference.java	(revision 1178)
@@ -29,5 +29,5 @@
      */
     private JComboBox lafCombo;
-    public JPanel panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
+    public JPanel panel;
     private JCheckBox showSplashScreen = new JCheckBox(tr("Show splash screen at startup"));
     private JCheckBox showID = new JCheckBox(tr("Show object ID in selection lists"));
@@ -65,4 +65,5 @@
         lafCombo.addActionListener(gui.requireRestartAction);
 
+        panel = new JPanel(new GridBagLayout());
         panel.setBorder(BorderFactory.createEmptyBorder(5,5,5,5));