diff --git a/pmd-doc/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/docs/DeadLinksChecker.java b/pmd-doc/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/docs/DeadLinksChecker.java
index 750e7c934c..ce3c7fc624 100644
--- a/pmd-doc/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/docs/DeadLinksChecker.java
+++ b/pmd-doc/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/docs/DeadLinksChecker.java
@@ -221,6 +221,7 @@ public class DeadLinksChecker {
     }
 
 
+    @SuppressWarnings("PMD.ReturnEmptyCollectionRatherThanNull")
     private Map<Path, List<String>> joinFutures(Map<Path, List<Future<String>>> map) {
         Map<Path, List<String>> joined = new HashMap<>();