Index: tika-parsers/src/main/java/org/apache/tika/parser/rtf/TextExtractor.java
===================================================================
--- tika-parsers/src/main/java/org/apache/tika/parser/rtf/TextExtractor.java	(revision 1176452)
+++ tika-parsers/src/main/java/org/apache/tika/parser/rtf/TextExtractor.java	(working copy)
@@ -1006,34 +1006,38 @@
         assert groupState.depth > 0;
         ansiSkip = 0;
 
-        // Restore group state:
-        final GroupState outerGroupState = groupStates.removeLast();
+        //Only restore when more remain in list
+        if( groupStates.size() > 0 )
+        {
+        	// Restore group state:
+        	final GroupState outerGroupState = groupStates.removeLast();
 
-        // Close italic, if outer does not have italic or
-        // bold changed:
-        if (groupState.italic) {
-            if (!outerGroupState.italic ||
-                groupState.bold != outerGroupState.bold) {
-                end("i");
-                groupState.italic = false;
-            }
-        }
+        	// Close italic, if outer does not have italic or
+        	// bold changed:
+        	if (groupState.italic) {
+        		if (!outerGroupState.italic ||
+        				groupState.bold != outerGroupState.bold) {
+        			end("i");
+        			groupState.italic = false;
+        		}
+        	}
 
-        // Close bold
-        if (groupState.bold && !outerGroupState.bold) {
-            end("b");
-        }
+        	// Close bold
+        	if (groupState.bold && !outerGroupState.bold) {
+        		end("b");
+        	}
 
-        // Open bold
-        if (!groupState.bold && outerGroupState.bold) {
-            start("b");
-        }
+        	// Open bold
+        	if (!groupState.bold && outerGroupState.bold) {
+        		start("b");
+        	}
 
-        // Open italic
-        if (!groupState.italic && outerGroupState.italic) {
-            start("i");
+        	// Open italic
+        	if (!groupState.italic && outerGroupState.italic) {
+        		start("i");
+        	}
+        	groupState = outerGroupState;
         }
-        groupState = outerGroupState;
         assert groupStates.size() == groupState.depth;
     }
 }