diff --git a/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/ProjectDescription.java b/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/ProjectDescription.java
index 69c5e408513..5b72b5727ec 100644
--- a/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/ProjectDescription.java
+++ b/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/ProjectDescription.java
@@ -430,9 +430,10 @@ public HashMap<IPath, LinkDescription> getLinks() {
 	 * Returns the map of filter descriptions (IPath (project relative path) -&gt;
 	 * {@literal LinkedList<FilterDescription>}). Since this method is only used
 	 * internally, it never creates a copy. Returns null if the project does not
-	 * have any filtered resources.
+	 * have any filtered resources. Only the read of the reference is guarded,
+	 * the returned map itself is not.
 	 */
-	public HashMap<IPath, LinkedList<FilterDescription>> getFilters() {
+	synchronized public HashMap<IPath, LinkedList<FilterDescription>> getFilters() {
 		return filterDescriptions;
 	}
 
diff --git a/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/Resource.java b/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/Resource.java
index 1794caf1def..94bfe274d0c 100644
--- a/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/Resource.java
+++ b/resources/bundles/org.eclipse.core.resources/src/org/eclipse/core/internal/resources/Resource.java
@@ -2086,7 +2086,7 @@ public IFileInfo[] filterChildren(IFileInfo[] list, boolean throwException) thro
 			return list;
 		}
 		final ProjectDescription description = project.internalGetDescription();
-		if (description == null) {
+		if (description == null || description.getFilters() == null) {
 			return list;
 		}
 		return filterChildren(project, description, list, throwException);