diff --git a/project.xml b/project.xml
index c748ebc11..eb0f803fd 100644
--- a/project.xml
+++ b/project.xml
@@ -301,6 +301,9 @@ limitations under the License.
 		<contributor>
 			<name>Sean Schofield</name>
 		</contributor>
+		<contributor>
+			<name>Reuben Sivan</name>
+		</contributor>
 		<contributor>
 			<name>Ville Skytta</name>
 		</contributor>
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtils.java b/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtils.java
index 4ed9a1c3e..4a8f7e177 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtils.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtils.java
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ import java.util.List;
  * @author Phil Steitz
  * @author Al Chou
  * @author Michael Davey
+ * @author Reuben Sivan
  * @since 1.0
  * @version $Id$
  */
@@ -152,7 +153,7 @@ public class StringUtils {
      *
      * <p>Used for efficient space padding. The length of each String expands as needed.</p>
      */
-    private static final String[] PADDING = new String[Character.MAX_VALUE];
+    private static final String[] PADDING = new String[Character.MAX_VALUE + 1];
 
     static {
         // space padding is most common, start with 64 chars
diff --git a/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtilsTest.java b/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtilsTest.java
index 798363642..9d067d52d 100644
--- a/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtilsTest.java
+++ b/src/test/org/apache/commons/lang/StringUtilsTest.java
@@ -1126,6 +1126,7 @@ public class StringUtilsTest extends TestCase {
         assertEquals("     ", StringUtils.leftPad("", 5, ' '));
         assertEquals("  abc", StringUtils.leftPad("abc", 5, ' '));
         assertEquals("xxabc", StringUtils.leftPad("abc", 5, 'x'));
+        assertEquals("\uffff\uffffabc", StringUtils.leftPad("abc", 5, '\uffff'));
         assertEquals("abc", StringUtils.leftPad("abc", 2, ' '));
         String str = StringUtils.leftPad("aaa", 10000, 'a');  // bigger than pad length
         assertEquals(10000, str.length());