diff --git a/org.hl7.fhir.utilities/src/main/java/org/hl7/fhir/utilities/Utilities.java b/org.hl7.fhir.utilities/src/main/java/org/hl7/fhir/utilities/Utilities.java
index 7710748d1..e6b735e45 100644
--- a/org.hl7.fhir.utilities/src/main/java/org/hl7/fhir/utilities/Utilities.java
+++ b/org.hl7.fhir.utilities/src/main/java/org/hl7/fhir/utilities/Utilities.java
@@ -730,7 +730,7 @@ public class Utilities {
 
 
   public static String stripBOM(String string) {
-    return string.replace("\uFEFF", "");
+    return string == null ? null : string.replace("\uFEFF", "");
   }