diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java
index 4a4b32ca7..e77420fae 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/DBUtils.java
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ public class DBUtils {
             db.close();
         }
 
-        if ( null == summary ) {
+        if ( null == summary && lock.canWrite() ) {
             summary = GameUtils.summarize( context, lock );
             saveSummary( context, lock, summary );
         }
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
index b8b32be5d..0eb7f6eb1 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GameUtils.java
@@ -187,10 +187,13 @@ public class GameUtils {
 
     public static GameSummary summarize( Context context, GameLock lock )
     {
+        GameSummary result = null;
         CurGameInfo gi = new CurGameInfo( context );
         int gamePtr = loadMakeGame( context, gi, lock );
-
-        return summarizeAndClose( context, lock, gamePtr, gi );
+        if ( 0 < gamePtr ) {
+            result = summarizeAndClose( context, lock, gamePtr, gi );
+        }
+        return result;
     }
 
     public static long dupeGame( Context context, long rowidIn )