diff --git a/linkcheck/src/main/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidator.java b/linkcheck/src/main/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidator.java
index 0c206f5b..139f45d5 100644
--- a/linkcheck/src/main/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidator.java
+++ b/linkcheck/src/main/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidator.java
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.httpclient.Header;
 import org.apache.commons.httpclient.HostConfiguration;
 import org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpClient;
 import org.apache.commons.httpclient.HttpState;
+import org.apache.commons.httpclient.StatusLine;
 import org.apache.commons.httpclient.UsernamePasswordCredentials;
 import org.apache.commons.httpclient.methods.GetMethod;
 import org.apache.commons.logging.Log;
@@ -68,7 +69,7 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 /**
  * Checks links which are normal URLs
  * @author <a href="mailto:bwalding@apache.org">Ben Walding</a>
- * @version $Id: HTTPLinkValidator.java,v 1.8 2003/09/13 21:48:08 bwalding Exp $
+ * @version $Id: HTTPLinkValidator.java,v 1.9 2003/10/17 14:15:01 bwalding Exp $
  */
 public class HTTPLinkValidator implements LinkValidator
 {
@@ -135,6 +136,12 @@ public class HTTPLinkValidator implements LinkValidator
             
             // execute the GET
             GetMethod gm = checkLink(cl, link);
+            StatusLine sl = gm.getStatusLine();
+            
+            if (sl == null) {
+                LOG.info("Unknown error validating link : " + link);
+                return LVR_VALID;
+            }
             
             if (gm.getStatusCode() == 302)
             {
diff --git a/linkcheck/src/test/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidatorTest.java b/linkcheck/src/test/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidatorTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e5318cf8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/linkcheck/src/test/org/apache/maven/linkcheck/validation/HTTPLinkValidatorTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+package org.apache.maven.linkcheck.validation;
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+import junit.framework.TestCase;
+
+/**
+ * @author <a href="bwalding@apache.org">Ben Walding</a>
+ * @version $Id: HTTPLinkValidatorTest.java,v 1.1 2003/10/17 14:15:01 bwalding Exp $
+ */
+public class HTTPLinkValidatorTest extends TestCase
+{
+
+    public void testValidateLink()
+    {
+        //I've disabled these as they require access to the net. Ultimately
+        //I'd like to setup a temporary internal webserver during testing.
+        //Probably a test repository so it can be used for a variety of things.
+        //checkLink("http://www.example.com");
+        //checkLink("http://www.example.com>);");
+    }
+
+    protected LinkValidationResult checkLink(String link)
+    {
+        HTTPLinkValidator hlv = new HTTPLinkValidator(null, null, null, null);
+        LinkValidationItem lvi = new LinkValidationItem(new File("."), link);
+        return hlv.validateLink(lvi);
+    }
+
+}
\ No newline at end of file