diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/SemanticHighlightingTest.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/SemanticHighlightingTest.java
index 482d09ebb11..85ac7c5a5fd 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/SemanticHighlightingTest.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui.tests/ui/org/eclipse/cdt/ui/tests/text/SemanticHighlightingTest.java
@@ -426,4 +426,12 @@ public class SemanticHighlightingTest extends TestCase {
     public void testCStructureName_451772() throws Exception {
     	makeAssertions(false /* parse as C file */);
     }
+    
+    //	template <typename T>                            //$templateParameter
+    //	void foo(T t) {                                  //$functionDeclaration,templateParameter,parameterVariable
+    //		bar(t);                                      //$function,parameterVariable
+    //	}
+    public void testNPE_458317() throws Exception {
+    	makeAssertions();
+    }
 }
diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/editor/SemanticHighlightings.java b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/editor/SemanticHighlightings.java
index f99ca12ef61..24bb7e67790 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/editor/SemanticHighlightings.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.cdt.ui/src/org/eclipse/cdt/internal/ui/editor/SemanticHighlightings.java
@@ -486,9 +486,12 @@ public class SemanticHighlightings {
 				if (binding instanceof ICPPMethod) {
 					return true;
 				} else if (binding instanceof ICPPDeferredFunction) {
-					for (ICPPFunction candidate : ((ICPPDeferredFunction) binding).getCandidates()) {
-						if (candidate instanceof ICPPMethod) {
-							return true;
+					ICPPFunction[] candidates = ((ICPPDeferredFunction) binding).getCandidates();
+					if (candidates != null) {
+						for (ICPPFunction candidate : candidates) {
+							if (candidate instanceof ICPPMethod) {
+								return true;
+							}
 						}
 					}
 				}