diff --git a/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp b/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp
index c57b7c343..172a7a44e 100644
--- a/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp
+++ b/src/osgShadow/ViewDependentShadowMap.cpp
@@ -583,6 +583,13 @@ void ViewDependentShadowMap::cull(osgUtil::CullVisitor& cv)
 {
     OSG_INFO<<std::endl<<std::endl<<"ViewDependentShadowMap::cull(osg::CullVisitor&"<<&cv<<")"<<std::endl;
 
+    if (!_shadowCastingStateSet)
+    {
+        OSG_NOTICE<<"Warning, init() has not yet been called so ShadowCastingStateSet has not been setup yet, unable to create shadows."<<std::endl;
+        _shadowedScene->osg::Group::traverse(cv);
+        return;
+    }
+
     ViewDependentData* vdd = getViewDependentData(&cv);
 
     if (!vdd)