diff --git a/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/xml/ResXmlEncoders.java b/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/xml/ResXmlEncoders.java
index ded03e12..f1583f98 100644
--- a/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/xml/ResXmlEncoders.java
+++ b/brut.apktool/apktool-lib/src/main/java/brut/androlib/res/xml/ResXmlEncoders.java
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public final class ResXmlEncoders {
     }
 
     public static String encodeAsXmlValue(String str) {
-        if (str.isEmpty()) {
+        if (str == null || str.isEmpty()) {
             return str;
         }