diff --git a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/BasicUserPrincipal.java b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/BasicUserPrincipal.java
index 7e9f3c374..c8094227d 100644
--- a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/BasicUserPrincipal.java
+++ b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/BasicUserPrincipal.java
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ public final class BasicUserPrincipal implements Principal, Serializable {
 
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object o) {
-        if (o == null) return false;
         if (this == o) return true;
         if (o instanceof BasicUserPrincipal) {
             BasicUserPrincipal that = (BasicUserPrincipal) o;
diff --git a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTCredentials.java b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTCredentials.java
index d4bea6f8c..ec74c0ba6 100644
--- a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTCredentials.java
+++ b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTCredentials.java
@@ -154,7 +154,6 @@ public class NTCredentials implements Credentials, Serializable {
 
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object o) {
-        if (o == null) return false;
         if (this == o) return true;
         if (o instanceof NTCredentials) {
             NTCredentials that = (NTCredentials) o;
diff --git a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTUserPrincipal.java b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTUserPrincipal.java
index 379870605..2e32dfafa 100644
--- a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTUserPrincipal.java
+++ b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/NTUserPrincipal.java
@@ -94,7 +94,6 @@ public class NTUserPrincipal implements Principal, Serializable {
 
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object o) {
-        if (o == null) return false;
         if (this == o) return true;
         if (o instanceof NTUserPrincipal) {
             NTUserPrincipal that = (NTUserPrincipal) o;
diff --git a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/UsernamePasswordCredentials.java b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/UsernamePasswordCredentials.java
index b9eb315cd..9bbd7df22 100644
--- a/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/UsernamePasswordCredentials.java
+++ b/httpclient/src/main/java/org/apache/http/auth/UsernamePasswordCredentials.java
@@ -103,7 +103,6 @@ public class UsernamePasswordCredentials implements Credentials, Serializable {
 
     @Override
     public boolean equals(Object o) {
-        if (o == null) return false;
         if (this == o) return true;
         if (o instanceof UsernamePasswordCredentials) {
             UsernamePasswordCredentials that = (UsernamePasswordCredentials) o;