diff --git a/apitools/org.eclipse.pde.api.tools.ui/src/org/eclipse/pde/api/tools/ui/internal/markers/VersionNumberingResolution.java b/apitools/org.eclipse.pde.api.tools.ui/src/org/eclipse/pde/api/tools/ui/internal/markers/VersionNumberingResolution.java
index 0be3cccbb48..dc79e80652d 100644
--- a/apitools/org.eclipse.pde.api.tools.ui/src/org/eclipse/pde/api/tools/ui/internal/markers/VersionNumberingResolution.java
+++ b/apitools/org.eclipse.pde.api.tools.ui/src/org/eclipse/pde/api/tools/ui/internal/markers/VersionNumberingResolution.java
@@ -46,7 +46,9 @@ public VersionNumberingResolution(IMarker marker) {
 
 	@Override
 	public String getDescription() {
-		description = description.replace(System.lineSeparator(), "<br>");//$NON-NLS-1$
+		if (description != null) {
+			description = description.replace(System.lineSeparator(), "<br>");//$NON-NLS-1$
+		}
 		switch (this.kind) {
 			case IApiProblem.MAJOR_VERSION_CHANGE:
 				return NLS.bind(MarkerMessages.VersionNumberingResolution_major0, new String[] { this.description });