diff --git a/src/Wt/WGroupBox.C b/src/Wt/WGroupBox.C
index ba8fa881..160ab890 100644
--- a/src/Wt/WGroupBox.C
+++ b/src/Wt/WGroupBox.C
@@ -96,14 +96,13 @@ int WGroupBox::firstChildIndex() const
 
 void WGroupBox::setLogicalLayout(std::unique_ptr<WLayout> layout)
 {
-  std::unique_ptr<WVBoxLayout> newLayout = std::make_unique<WVBoxLayout>();
   logicalLayout_ = layout.get();
 
   if (layout) {
+    std::unique_ptr<WVBoxLayout> newLayout = std::make_unique<WVBoxLayout>();
     newLayout->addLayout(std::move(layout));
+    WContainerWidget::setLogicalLayout(std::move(newLayout));
   }
-
-  WContainerWidget::setLogicalLayout(std::move(newLayout));
 }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/Wt/WGroupBox.h b/src/Wt/WGroupBox.h
index d3d6dd54..76859818 100644
--- a/src/Wt/WGroupBox.h
+++ b/src/Wt/WGroupBox.h
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ protected:
 private:
   WString title_;
   bool titleChanged_;
-  WLayout* logicalLayout_;
+  WLayout* logicalLayout_ = nullptr;
 
   void init();