diff --git a/jdk/src/solaris/classes/sun/awt/X11/XMenuItemPeer.java b/jdk/src/solaris/classes/sun/awt/X11/XMenuItemPeer.java
index 8cd8a725af4..496524c10b3 100644
--- a/jdk/src/solaris/classes/sun/awt/X11/XMenuItemPeer.java
+++ b/jdk/src/solaris/classes/sun/awt/X11/XMenuItemPeer.java
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ public class XMenuItemPeer implements MenuItemPeer {
         if (target == null) {
             return "";
         }
-        return AWTAccessor.getMenuItemAccessor().getLabel(target);
+        String label = AWTAccessor.getMenuItemAccessor().getLabel(target);
+        return (label == null) ? "" : label;
     }
 
     boolean isTargetEnabled() {