diff --git a/src/com/android/providers/contacts/ContactsProvider2.java b/src/com/android/providers/contacts/ContactsProvider2.java
index 0424cf5..777315e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/providers/contacts/ContactsProvider2.java
+++ b/src/com/android/providers/contacts/ContactsProvider2.java
@@ -1610,7 +1610,7 @@
 
             case GROUPS: {
                 boolean markAsDirty = shouldMarkGroupAsDirty(uri);
-                final boolean permanently = 
+                final boolean permanently =
                         readBooleanQueryParameter(uri, RawContacts.DELETE_PERMANENTLY, false);
                 int numDeletes = 0;
                 Cursor c = mDb.query(Tables.GROUPS, new String[]{Groups._ID},
@@ -2904,10 +2904,8 @@
                 return accounts[0];
             }
         } catch (Throwable e) {
-            throw new RuntimeException("Cannot determine the default account "
-                    + "for contacts compatibility", e);
+            Log.e(TAG, "Cannot determine the default account for contacts compatibility", e);
         }
-        throw new RuntimeException("Cannot determine the default account "
-                + "for contacts compatibility");
+        return null;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/com/android/providers/contacts/LegacyApiSupport.java b/src/com/android/providers/contacts/LegacyApiSupport.java
index 9be5760..e9e6c1d 100644
--- a/src/com/android/providers/contacts/LegacyApiSupport.java
+++ b/src/com/android/providers/contacts/LegacyApiSupport.java
@@ -58,6 +58,8 @@
 
     private static final String TAG = "ContactsProviderV1";
 
+    private static final String NON_EXISTENT_ACCOUNT_TYPE = "android.INVALID_ACCOUNT_TYPE";
+
     private static final UriMatcher sUriMatcher = new UriMatcher(UriMatcher.NO_MATCH);
 
     private static final int PEOPLE = 1;
@@ -466,6 +468,12 @@
     private void ensureDefaultAccount() {
         if (mAccount == null) {
             mAccount = mContactsProvider.getDefaultAccount();
+            if (mAccount == null) {
+
+                // This fall-through account will not match any data in the database, which
+                // is the expected behavior
+                mAccount = new Account("", NON_EXISTENT_ACCOUNT_TYPE);
+            }
         }
     }