diff --git a/classpath/java/io/PrintStream.java b/classpath/java/io/PrintStream.java
index 1e21d86ed3..37c141bb03 100644
--- a/classpath/java/io/PrintStream.java
+++ b/classpath/java/io/PrintStream.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ public class PrintStream extends OutputStream {
   }
 
   public void print(Object o) {
-    print(o.toString());
+    print(String.valueOf(o));
   }
 
   public void print(char c) {
diff --git a/classpath/java/lang/String.java b/classpath/java/lang/String.java
index 3c72ee92e3..283e4b7248 100644
--- a/classpath/java/lang/String.java
+++ b/classpath/java/lang/String.java
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ public final class String implements Comparable<String> {
   public native String intern();
 
   public static String valueOf(Object s) {
-    return s.toString();
+    return s == null ? "null" : s.toString();
   }
 
   public static String valueOf(boolean v) {