Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/OsmReader.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/OsmReader.java	(revision 4388)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/OsmReader.java	(revision 4389)
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@
                         throwException(tr("Missing key or value attribute in tag."));
                     }
-                    currentPrimitive.put(key.intern(), value.intern());
-
+                    if (currentPrimitive != null) {
+                        currentPrimitive.put(key.intern(), value.intern());
+                    }
                 } else {
                     System.out.println(tr("Undefined element ''{0}'' found in input stream. Skipping.", qName));