diff --git a/dcmimgle/include/dcmtk/dcmimgle/dimoipxt.h b/dcmimgle/include/dcmtk/dcmimgle/dimoipxt.h
index e746a68b9..e749a6b16 100644
--- a/dcmimgle/include/dcmtk/dcmimgle/dimoipxt.h
+++ b/dcmimgle/include/dcmtk/dcmimgle/dimoipxt.h
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /*
  *
- *  Copyright (C) 1996-2021, OFFIS e.V.
+ *  Copyright (C) 1996-2025, OFFIS e.V.
  *  All rights reserved.  See COPYRIGHT file for details.
  *
  *  This software and supporting documentation were developed by
@@ -55,16 +55,16 @@ class DiMonoInputPixelTemplate
                              DiMonoModality *modality)
       : DiMonoPixelTemplate<T3>(pixel, modality)
     {
-        if ((pixel != NULL) && (this->Count > 0))
+        if ((pixel != NULL) && (this->Modality != NULL) && (this->Count > 0))
         {
             // check whether to apply any modality transform
-            if ((this->Modality != NULL) && this->Modality->hasLookupTable() && (bitsof(T1) <= MAX_TABLE_ENTRY_SIZE))
+            if (this->Modality->hasLookupTable() && (bitsof(T1) <= MAX_TABLE_ENTRY_SIZE))
             {
                 modlut(pixel);
                 // ignore modality LUT min/max values since the image does not necessarily have to use all LUT entries
                 this->determineMinMax();
             }
-            else if ((this->Modality != NULL) && this->Modality->hasRescaling())
+            else if (this->Modality->hasRescaling())
             {
                 rescale(pixel, this->Modality->getRescaleSlope(), this->Modality->getRescaleIntercept());
                 this->determineMinMax(OFstatic_cast(T3, this->Modality->getMinValue()), OFstatic_cast(T3, this->Modality->getMaxValue()));