--- vdr-1.3.46~/menuitems.c
+++ vdr-1.3.46/menuitems.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 void cMenuEditItem::SetValue(const char *Value)
 {
   free(value);
-  value = strdup(Value);
+  value = Value ? strdup(Value) : NULL;
   char *buffer = NULL;
   asprintf(&buffer, "%s:\t%s", name, value);
   SetText(buffer, false);
@@ -615,61 +615,18 @@
            }
         channel = (cChannel *)channel->Next();
         }
+  if (!number) {
+     // couldn't find the selected channel, or one hasn't yet been chosen;
+     // default to the first available channel
+     channel = Channels.First();
+     while (channel) {
+           if (!channel->GroupSep()) {
+              number = channel->Number();
+              break;
+              }
+           channel = (cChannel *)channel->Next();
+           }
+     }
   Set();
 }