diff --git a/app/src/androidTest/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/NearbyControllerTest.java b/app/src/androidTest/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/NearbyControllerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e26c42265
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/src/androidTest/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/NearbyControllerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+package fr.free.nrw.commons;
+
+import android.content.Context;
+import android.support.test.InstrumentationRegistry;
+import android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnit4;
+
+import fr.free.nrw.commons.location.LatLng;
+import fr.free.nrw.commons.nearby.NearbyBaseMarker;
+import fr.free.nrw.commons.nearby.NearbyController;
+import fr.free.nrw.commons.nearby.Place;
+
+import org.junit.Assert;
+import org.junit.Before;
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
+
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.List;
+
+import static org.hamcrest.CoreMatchers.is;
+
+@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4.class)
+public class NearbyControllerTest {
+    private Context instrumentationContext;
+
+    @Before
+    public void setup() {
+        instrumentationContext = InstrumentationRegistry.getContext();
+    }
+
+    @Test public void testNullAttractions() {
+        LatLng location = new LatLng(0, 0);
+
+        List<NearbyBaseMarker> options =
+            NearbyController.loadAttractionsFromLocationToBaseMarkerOptions(
+                location,
+                null,
+                instrumentationContext
+        );
+
+        Assert.assertThat(options.size(), is(0));
+    }
+
+    @Test public void testEmptyList() {
+        LatLng location = new LatLng(0, 0);
+        List<Place> emptyList = new ArrayList<>();
+
+        List<NearbyBaseMarker> options =
+                NearbyController.loadAttractionsFromLocationToBaseMarkerOptions(
+                        location,
+                        emptyList,
+                        instrumentationContext
+                );
+
+        Assert.assertThat(options.size(), is(0));
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
index 1c0699e17..dc6efe754 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/fr/free/nrw/commons/nearby/NearbyController.java
@@ -84,14 +84,20 @@ public class NearbyController {
      *Loads attractions from location for map view, we need to return BaseMarkerOption data type.
      * @param curLatLng users current location
      * @param placeList list of nearby places in Place data type
-     * @return BaseMarkerOprions list that holds nearby places
+     * @return BaseMarkerOptions list that holds nearby places
      */
     public static List<NearbyBaseMarker> loadAttractionsFromLocationToBaseMarkerOptions(
             LatLng curLatLng,
             List<Place> placeList,
             Context context) {
-        List<NearbyBaseMarker> baseMarkerOptionses = new ArrayList<>();
+        List<NearbyBaseMarker> baseMarkerOptions = new ArrayList<>();
+
+        if (placeList == null) {
+            return baseMarkerOptions;
+        }
+
         placeList = placeList.subList(0, Math.min(placeList.size(), MAX_RESULTS));
+
         for (Place place: placeList) {
             String distance = formatDistanceBetween(curLatLng, place.location);
             place.setDistance(distance);
@@ -108,8 +114,8 @@ public class NearbyController {
             nearbyBaseMarker.place(place);
             nearbyBaseMarker.icon(icon);
 
-            baseMarkerOptionses.add(nearbyBaseMarker);
+            baseMarkerOptions.add(nearbyBaseMarker);
         }
-        return baseMarkerOptionses;
+        return baseMarkerOptions;
     }
 }