diff --git a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/PacketParserUtils.java b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/PacketParserUtils.java
index b81d85666..66332d071 100644
--- a/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/PacketParserUtils.java
+++ b/source/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/PacketParserUtils.java
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ public class PacketParserUtils {
     public static XMPPError parseError(XmlPullParser parser) throws Exception {
         final String errorNamespace = "urn:ietf:params:xml:ns:xmpp-stanzas";
     	String errorCode = "-1";
-        String type = null;
+        String type = "";
         String message = null;
         String condition = null;
         List<PacketExtension> extensions = new ArrayList<PacketExtension>();