diff --git a/src/kits/shared/NaturalCompare.cpp b/src/kits/shared/NaturalCompare.cpp
index c57b119e01..4085f549f2 100644
--- a/src/kits/shared/NaturalCompare.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/shared/NaturalCompare.cpp
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ NormalizeNumberChunks(natural_chunk& a, natural_chunk& b)
 int
 NaturalCompare(const char* stringA, const char* stringB)
 {
+	if (stringA == NULL)
+		return stringB == NULL ? 0 : -1;
+	if (stringB == NULL)
+		return 1;
+
 	natural_chunk a;
 	natural_chunk b;