diff --git a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/client/utils/DateUtils.java b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/client/utils/DateUtils.java
index 0757851ed..b89dbe1e3 100644
--- a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/client/utils/DateUtils.java
+++ b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/client/utils/DateUtils.java
@@ -200,15 +200,7 @@ public final class DateUtils {
     final static class DateFormatHolder {
 
         private static final ThreadLocal<SoftReference<Map<String, SimpleDateFormat>>>
-            THREADLOCAL_FORMATS = new ThreadLocal<SoftReference<Map<String, SimpleDateFormat>>>() {
-
-            @Override
-            protected SoftReference<Map<String, SimpleDateFormat>> initialValue() {
-                return new SoftReference<Map<String, SimpleDateFormat>>(
-                        new HashMap<String, SimpleDateFormat>());
-            }
-
-        };
+            THREADLOCAL_FORMATS = new ThreadLocal<>();
 
         /**
          * creates a {@link SimpleDateFormat} for the requested format string.
@@ -224,7 +216,7 @@ public final class DateUtils {
          */
         public static SimpleDateFormat formatFor(final String pattern) {
             final SoftReference<Map<String, SimpleDateFormat>> ref = THREADLOCAL_FORMATS.get();
-            Map<String, SimpleDateFormat> formats = ref.get();
+            Map<String, SimpleDateFormat> formats = ref == null ? null : ref.get();
             if (formats == null) {
                 formats = new HashMap<>();
                 THREADLOCAL_FORMATS.set(