diff --git a/pmd-eclipse-ui/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ui/views/ViolationOverviewLabelProvider.java b/pmd-eclipse-ui/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ui/views/ViolationOverviewLabelProvider.java
index f2f6560934..295e6aed93 100644
--- a/pmd-eclipse-ui/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ui/views/ViolationOverviewLabelProvider.java
+++ b/pmd-eclipse-ui/src/net/sourceforge/pmd/ui/views/ViolationOverviewLabelProvider.java
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ public class ViolationOverviewLabelProvider extends LabelProvider implements ITa
 
     /* @see org.eclipse.jface.viewers.ITableLabelProvider#getColumnText(java.lang.Object, int) */
     public String getColumnText(Object element, int columnIndex) {
-        String result = null;
+        String result = "";
 
         switch (columnIndex) {