diff --git a/graf2d/gpad/src/TPad.cxx b/graf2d/gpad/src/TPad.cxx
index 83fda3916ed2e48d0ce526240aa7d56c742af9d3..60fd7bce3652cfbb23b071d7496a75e41f0c01ba 100644
--- a/graf2d/gpad/src/TPad.cxx
+++ b/graf2d/gpad/src/TPad.cxx
@@ -2404,7 +2404,10 @@ void TPad::ExecuteEventAxis(Int_t event, Int_t px, Int_t py, TAxis *axis)
       if (!opaque) {
          gVirtualX->SetLineColor(-1);
       } else {
-         zoombox->Delete();
+         if (zoombox) {
+            zoombox->Delete();
+            zoombox = 0;
+         }
       }
       break;
    }