--- old/src/share/vm/classfile/javaClasses.hpp	2015-10-08 07:23:37.000000000 -1000
+++ new/src/share/vm/classfile/javaClasses.hpp	2015-10-08 07:23:37.000000000 -1000
@@ -157,7 +157,12 @@
     if (count_offset > 0) {
       return java_string->int_field(count_offset);
     } else {
-      return ((typeArrayOop)java_string->obj_field(value_offset))->length();
+      typeArrayOop value_array = ((typeArrayOop)java_string->obj_field(value_offset));
+      if (value_array == NULL) {
+        return 0;
+      } else {
+        return value_array->length();
+      }
     }
   }
   static int utf8_length(oop java_string);