diff --git a/database/DBtiles.c b/database/DBtiles.c
index 4d4662a5..14b5135b 100644
--- a/database/DBtiles.c
+++ b/database/DBtiles.c
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ DBSrPaintNMArea(hintTile, plane, ttype, rect, mask, func, arg)
 				 * provide a hint tile in case hintTile == NULL.
 				 * The hint tile in the plane is updated to be
 				 * the last tile visited in the area
-				 * enumeration.
+				 * enumeration, if plane is non-NULL.
 				 */
     TileType ttype;		/* Information about the non-manhattan area to
 			 	 * search; zero if area is manhattan.
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ DBSrPaintNMArea(hintTile, plane, ttype, rect, mask, func, arg)
     {
 	/* Each iteration enumerates another tile */
 nm_enum:
-	PlaneSetHint(plane, tp);
+	if (plane != (Plane *)NULL) PlaneSetHint(plane, tp);
 	if (SigInterruptPending)
 	    return (1);
 
diff --git a/drc/DRCbasic.c b/drc/DRCbasic.c
index 71c3860f..5ae98496 100644
--- a/drc/DRCbasic.c
+++ b/drc/DRCbasic.c
@@ -375,9 +375,7 @@ areaNMCheck(tile, arg)
 
 	TTMaskSetOnlyType(&mask, TiGetLeftType(tile));
 	TTMaskSetType(&mask, TiGetRightType(tile));
-	if (DBSrPaintNMArea((Tile *)tile,
-		arg->dCD_celldef->cd_planes[arg->dCD_plane],
-		dinfo, arg->dCD_rlist,
+	if (DBSrPaintNMArea((Tile *)tile, (Plane *)NULL, dinfo, arg->dCD_rlist,
 		&mask, areaNMReject, (ClientData)tile) == 0)
 	    return 0;
     }