diff --git a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonMecanim.cs b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonMecanim.cs
index 41e72bc8b..7ad153045 100644
--- a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonMecanim.cs
+++ b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/Runtime/spine-unity/Components/SkeletonMecanim.cs
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ namespace Spine.Unity {
 		}
 
 		public override void LateUpdate () {
-			if (updateTiming == UpdateTiming.InLateUpdate && valid)
+			if (updateTiming == UpdateTiming.InLateUpdate && valid &&  translator != null && translator.Animator != null)
 				UpdateAnimation();
 			// instantiation can happen from Update() after this component, leading to a missing Update() call.
 			if (!wasUpdatedAfterInit) Update();
diff --git a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/package.json b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/package.json
index 346c68baf..039bc6651 100644
--- a/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/package.json
+++ b/spine-unity/Assets/Spine/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 	"name": "com.esotericsoftware.spine.spine-unity",
 	"displayName": "spine-unity Runtime",
 	"description": "This plugin provides the spine-unity runtime core.",
-	"version": "4.1.27",
+	"version": "4.1.28",
 	"unity": "2018.3",
 	"author": {
 		"name": "Esoteric Software",