diff --git a/geronimo-json_1.1_spec/src/main/java/javax/json/EmptyJsonObject.java b/geronimo-json_1.1_spec/src/main/java/javax/json/EmptyJsonObject.java
index 09d86c3e1..0ccbe2c09 100644
--- a/geronimo-json_1.1_spec/src/main/java/javax/json/EmptyJsonObject.java
+++ b/geronimo-json_1.1_spec/src/main/java/javax/json/EmptyJsonObject.java
@@ -49,12 +49,12 @@ public JsonString getJsonString(String name) {
 
     @Override
     public String getString(String name) {
-        return null;
+        throw new NullPointerException("Calling getString on EmptyJsonObject");
     }
 
     @Override
     public String getString(String name, String defaultValue) {
-        return null;
+        return defaultValue;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public boolean getBoolean(String name, boolean defaultValue) {
 
     @Override
     public boolean isNull(String name) {
-        return true;
+        throw new NullPointerException("Calling isNull on EmptyJsonObject");
     }
 
     @Override