diff --git a/app/src/processing/app/contrib/ContributionManager.java b/app/src/processing/app/contrib/ContributionManager.java
index 46f892ca7..af9c4d899 100644
--- a/app/src/processing/app/contrib/ContributionManager.java
+++ b/app/src/processing/app/contrib/ContributionManager.java
@@ -619,16 +619,21 @@ public class ContributionManager {
       }
     });
 
-    for (File file : installList) {
-      for (AvailableContribution contrib : listing.advertisedContributions) {
-        if (file.getName().equals(contrib.getName())) {
-          file.delete();
-          installOnStartUp(base, contrib);
-          EventQueue.invokeAndWait(() -> {
-            listing.replaceContribution(contrib, contrib);
-          });
+    // https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5823
+    if (installList != null) {
+      for (File file : installList) {
+        for (AvailableContribution contrib : listing.advertisedContributions) {
+          if (file.getName().equals(contrib.getName())) {
+            file.delete();
+            installOnStartUp(base, contrib);
+            EventQueue.invokeAndWait(() -> {
+              listing.replaceContribution(contrib, contrib);
+            });
+          }
         }
       }
+    } else {
+      System.err.println("Could not read " + root);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/todo.txt b/todo.txt
index fa670161a..04c62e16c 100755
--- a/todo.txt
+++ b/todo.txt
@@ -4,14 +4,7 @@ X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5794
 X fix potential highlighting issue that wasn't selecting portions of text
 X update AppBundler to use newer SDK, recompile
 X edit build.xml files and appbundler to preserve more attributes
-X contrib listing names should not be case sensitive
-X   libs in all caps appeared above those in lowercase
-X ignore library subfolders
-X don't unzip __MACOSX files with contribs
-X don't do library subfolders
-X show error when .properties file is missing from contribs
-X clean up a lot of bad temp file handling in the contrib manager
-X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5845
+
 X don't remove entries from Recent menu on Save As
 X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5902
 X when a conflicting library (bad link w/ core) is found, need to report it
@@ -27,6 +20,20 @@ o   need to make classpath code be less promiscuous
 o   the order of adding libraries to classpath should be opposite
 o     the important local libraries should be first in cp, user contrib later
 
+contrib manager
+X contrib listing names should not be case sensitive
+X   libs in all caps appeared above those in lowercase
+X ignore library subfolders
+X don't unzip __MACOSX files with contribs
+X don't do library subfolders
+X show error when .properties file is missing from contribs
+X clean up a lot of bad temp file handling in the contrib manager
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5845
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5960
+X NPE in installPreviouslyFailed() on startup
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5482
+X   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5916
+
 after the JDK 11 update
 X use a new pref for the sketchbook folder location for 4.x
 X finish porting ThinkDifferent to use Desktop APIs
@@ -89,10 +96,6 @@ _   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5882
 _ windows anti-malware leaves browser stuck at 100%
 _   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5893
 
-_ startup errors in contrib manager
-_   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5482
-_   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5916
-_   https://github.com/processing/processing/issues/5823
 
 quick fixes
 _ rename-variable menu allows Java identifiers