diff --git a/palm/palmmain.c b/palm/palmmain.c
index 6008584d0..fa224bf54 100644
--- a/palm/palmmain.c
+++ b/palm/palmmain.c
@@ -466,7 +466,8 @@ positionBoard( PalmAppGlobals* globals )
             PALM_GRIDLESS_SCORE_LEFT+2) * doubler;
 
         bounds.extent.x = (RECOMMENDED_SBAR_WIDTH + 2) * doubler;
-        bounds.extent.y = (PALM_GRIDLESS_SCORE_TOP - bounds.topLeft.y - 2) * doubler;
+        bounds.extent.y = (PALM_GRIDLESS_SCORE_TOP - bounds.topLeft.y - 2) 
+            * doubler;
     }
     globals->progress.boundsRect = bounds;
 #endif
@@ -1887,11 +1888,13 @@ drawFormButtons( PalmAppGlobals* globals )
     if ( globals->hasTreoFiveWay ) {
         focusItem = globals->gState.focusItem;
         if ( focusItem > 0 ) {
-/*             XP_WARNF( "setting focus: %s", frmObjId_2str(focusItem) ); */
-            setFormFocus( globals->mainForm, focusItem );
-            if ( !isBoardObject( focusItem )
-                 && buttonIsUsable( getActiveObjectPtr(focusItem) ) ) {
-                drawFocusRingOnGadget( globals, focusItem, focusItem );
+            if ( isFormObject( globals->mainForm, focusItem ) ) {
+/*                 XP_WARNF( "setting focus: %s", frmObjId_2str(focusItem) ); */
+                setFormFocus( globals->mainForm, focusItem );
+                if ( !isBoardObject( focusItem )
+                     && buttonIsUsable( getActiveObjectPtr(focusItem) ) ) {
+                    drawFocusRingOnGadget( globals, focusItem, focusItem );
+                }
             }
             globals->gState.focusItem = -1;
         } else {
diff --git a/palm/palmutil.c b/palm/palmutil.c
index b9278519a..60b3ad0f9 100644
--- a/palm/palmutil.c
+++ b/palm/palmutil.c
@@ -55,9 +55,10 @@ MemPtr
 getActiveObjectPtr( UInt16 objectID )
 {
     FormPtr form = FrmGetActiveForm();
-    XP_ASSERT( FrmGetObjectPtr( 
-	form, FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID ) )!= NULL );
-    return FrmGetObjectPtr( form, FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID ) );
+    Int16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID );
+    XP_ASSERT( index >= 0 );
+    XP_ASSERT( FrmGetObjectPtr( form, index )!= NULL );
+    return FrmGetObjectPtr( form, index );
 } /* getActiveObjectPtr */
 
 /*****************************************************************************
@@ -66,8 +67,10 @@ getActiveObjectPtr( UInt16 objectID )
 void
 getObjectBounds( UInt16 objectID, RectangleType* rectP ) 
 {
-   FormPtr form = FrmGetActiveForm();
-   FrmGetObjectBounds( form, FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID ), rectP );
+    FormPtr form = FrmGetActiveForm();
+    Int16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID );
+    XP_ASSERT( index >= 0 );
+    FrmGetObjectBounds( form, index, rectP );
 } /* getObjectBounds */
 
 #if defined XW_FEATURE_UTILS
@@ -77,8 +80,10 @@ getObjectBounds( UInt16 objectID, RectangleType* rectP )
 void
 setObjectBounds( UInt16 objectID, RectangleType* rectP ) 
 {
-   FormPtr form = FrmGetActiveForm();
-   FrmSetObjectBounds( form, FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID ), rectP );
+    FormPtr form = FrmGetActiveForm();
+    Int16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID );
+    XP_ASSERT( index >= 0 );
+    FrmSetObjectBounds( form, index, rectP );
 } /* getObjectBounds */
 
 /*****************************************************************************
@@ -172,7 +177,8 @@ void
 centerControl( FormPtr form, UInt16 id )
 {
     RectangleType cBounds, fBounds;
-    UInt16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, id );
+    Int16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, id );
+    XP_ASSERT( index >= 0 );
 
     FrmGetObjectBounds( form, index, &cBounds );
     FrmGetFormBounds( form, &fBounds );
@@ -423,9 +429,18 @@ getFocusOwner( void )
 void
 setFormFocus( FormPtr form, XP_U16 objectID )
 {
-    FrmSetFocus( form, FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID ) );
+    Int16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID );
+    XP_ASSERT( index >= 0 );
+    FrmSetFocus( form, index );
 } /* setFormFocus */
 
+XP_Bool
+isFormObject( FormPtr form, XP_U16 objectID )
+{
+    Int16 index = FrmGetObjectIndex( form, objectID );
+    return index >= 0;
+}
+
 #ifndef XW_TARGET_PNO
 /* Warning: gross hack.  HsNavDrawFocusRing doesn't work on newer Palms,
    e.g. Tungsten T.  It's been replaced by FrmNavDrawFocusRing.  But that
diff --git a/palm/palmutil.h b/palm/palmutil.h
index a692f5fd6..e6a3d333a 100644
--- a/palm/palmutil.h
+++ b/palm/palmutil.h
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ void drawOneGadget( UInt16 id, const char* text, Boolean hilite );
 # ifdef XWFEATURE_FIVEWAY
 XP_S16 getFocusOwner( void );
 void setFormFocus( FormPtr form, XP_U16 objectID );
+XP_Bool isFormObject( FormPtr form, XP_U16 objectID );
 void drawFocusRingOnGadget( PalmAppGlobals* globals, XP_U16 idLow, 
                             XP_U16 idHigh );
 XP_Bool considerGadgetFocus( PalmAppGlobals* globals, const EventType* event,