diff --git a/onebusaway-android/src/androidTest/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeServiceTest.java b/onebusaway-android/src/androidTest/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeServiceTest.java
index d83215f58..81e249a64 100644
--- a/onebusaway-android/src/androidTest/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeServiceTest.java
+++ b/onebusaway-android/src/androidTest/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeServiceTest.java
@@ -151,21 +151,11 @@ public void testOnHandleIntentWithEmptyBundleDoesNotCrash() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void testGetSimplifiedBundleWithMissingItineraryDoesNotCrash() throws Exception {
-        // Bundle with no itineraries and no selected index
-        Bundle badBundle = new Bundle();
-
-        Bundle result = mService.getSimplifiedBundle(badBundle);
-        // After the fix, getSimplifiedBundle() should handle the null itinerary gracefully
-        // and return null instead of crashing.
-        assertNull("getSimplifiedBundle should return null for missing itinerary", result);
-    }
-
-    @Test
-    public void testGetSimplifiedBundleWithMissingNotificationTargetDoesNotCrash() throws Exception {
+    public void testOnHandleIntentWithRealtimeLegsButNoNotificationTargetDoesNotCrash() {
         Bundle bundle = new Bundle();
 
-        // Minimal from/to and date so TripRequestBuilder.copyIntoBundleSimple() does not throw.
+        // Minimal from/to and date so TripRequestBuilder.copyIntoBundleSimple() does not throw
+        // when getSimplifiedBundle is called during startRealtimeUpdates.
         CustomAddress from = new CustomAddress();
         from.setLatitude(0);
         from.setLongitude(0);
@@ -174,25 +164,31 @@ public void testGetSimplifiedBundleWithMissingNotificationTargetDoesNotCrash() t
         to.setLongitude(0);
         new TripRequestBuilder(bundle).setFrom(from).setTo(to).setDateTime(new Date());
 
-        // Build a valid itinerary with one transit leg so ItineraryDescription succeeds
-        // and we actually reach the NOTIFICATION_TARGET check (not the catch block).
+        // Build a valid itinerary with realtime transit leg so startRealtimeUpdates proceeds
+        // and getAlarmIntent/getSimplifiedBundle are invoked. No NOTIFICATION_TARGET exercises
+        // the alarmIntent == null guard in startRealtimeUpdates (lines 125-129).
+        ArrayList<Itinerary> itineraries = new ArrayList<>();
         Itinerary it = new Itinerary();
         Leg leg = new Leg();
-        leg.mode = "BUS";
         leg.realTime = true;
+        leg.mode = "BUS";
         leg.tripId = "testTrip";
         leg.endTime = String.valueOf(System.currentTimeMillis() + 3600000);
         it.legs = new ArrayList<>();
         it.legs.add(leg);
-
-        ArrayList<Itinerary> itineraries = new ArrayList<>();
         itineraries.add(it);
         bundle.putSerializable(OTPConstants.ITINERARIES, itineraries);
         bundle.putInt(OTPConstants.SELECTED_ITINERARY, 0);
-        // Intentionally DO NOT put OTPConstants.NOTIFICATION_TARGET into the bundle
-        Bundle result = mService.getSimplifiedBundle(bundle);
-        // After the fix, getSimplifiedBundle() should handle missing NOTIFICATION_TARGET
-        // gracefully and return null instead of crashing.
-        assertNull("getSimplifiedBundle should return null when NOTIFICATION_TARGET is missing", result);
+        // No NOTIFICATION_TARGET — exercises the null alarmIntent guard in startRealtimeUpdates
+
+        Intent intent = new Intent(OTPConstants.INTENT_START_CHECKS);
+        intent.putExtras(bundle);
+
+        try {
+            mService.onHandleIntent(intent);
+        } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+            fail("Should not crash with realtime legs but missing NOTIFICATION_TARGET: "
+                    + e.getMessage());
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/onebusaway-android/src/main/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeService.java b/onebusaway-android/src/main/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeService.java
index 73908fe86..6f64b9090 100644
--- a/onebusaway-android/src/main/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeService.java
+++ b/onebusaway-android/src/main/java/org/onebusaway/android/directions/realtime/RealtimeService.java
@@ -111,9 +111,11 @@ private void startRealtimeUpdates(Bundle params, Itinerary itinerary) {
 
         boolean realtimeLegsOnItineraries = false;
 
-        for (Leg leg : itinerary.legs) {
-            if (leg.realTime) {
-                realtimeLegsOnItineraries = true;
+        if (itinerary.legs != null) {
+            for (Leg leg : itinerary.legs) {
+                if (leg.realTime) {
+                    realtimeLegsOnItineraries = true;
+                }
             }
         }
 
@@ -304,7 +306,10 @@ private void checkDisableDueToTimeout(ItineraryDescription itineraryDescription)
 
     public void disableListenForTripUpdates() {
         Log.d(TAG, "Disable trip updates.");
-        getAlarmManager().cancel(getAlarmIntent(null));
+        PendingIntent alarmIntent = getAlarmIntent(null);
+        if (alarmIntent != null) {
+            getAlarmManager().cancel(alarmIntent);
+        }
     }
 
     private AlarmManager getAlarmManager() {
@@ -369,13 +374,11 @@ Bundle getSimplifiedBundle(Bundle params) {
             return null;
         }
 
-        ItineraryDescription desc;
-        try {
-            desc = new ItineraryDescription(itinerary);
-        } catch (NullPointerException | IndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
-            Log.e(TAG, "getSimplifiedBundle: error creating ItineraryDescription", e);
+        if (itinerary.legs == null || itinerary.legs.isEmpty()) {
+            Log.w(TAG, "getSimplifiedBundle: itinerary has no legs");
             return null;
         }
+        ItineraryDescription desc = new ItineraryDescription(itinerary);
 
         Bundle extras = new Bundle();
         try {