diff --git a/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/VariableInsertionDialog.java b/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/VariableInsertionDialog.java
index 9ef3619..ddf9250 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/VariableInsertionDialog.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/VariableInsertionDialog.java
@@ -147,7 +147,11 @@
 		fTableViewer.getControl().setLayoutData(data);
 		fTableViewer.addSelectionChangedListener(new ISelectionChangedListener() {
 			public void selectionChanged(SelectionChangedEvent event) {
-				fDescriptionPane.setText(fTableViewer.getSelection() != null ? getVariable(fTableViewer.getSelection()).getDescription() : ""); //$NON-NLS-1$
+				ISnippetVariable variable = null;
+				if (fTableViewer.getSelection() != null) {
+					variable = getVariable(fTableViewer.getSelection());
+				}
+				fDescriptionPane.setText(variable != null ? variable.getDescription() : ""); //$NON-NLS-1$
 				fDescriptionPane.setHorizontalPixel(2);
 				fDescriptionPane.redraw();
 			}
diff --git a/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/palette/AbstractModelFactory.java b/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/palette/AbstractModelFactory.java
index fd5053c..e0a6c19 100644
--- a/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/palette/AbstractModelFactory.java
+++ b/org.eclipse.wst.common.snippets/src/org/eclipse/wst/common/snippets/internal/palette/AbstractModelFactory.java
@@ -143,30 +143,38 @@
 	}
 
 	protected void setProperty(SnippetPaletteItem item, String property, Object value) {
-		if (property == null || value == null)
+		if (property == null)
 			return;
-		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.CATEGORY))
-			item.setCategoryName(value.toString());
+		Object propertyValue = value;
+		if(propertyValue == null) {
+			propertyValue = "";
+		}
+		if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.CATEGORY))
+			item.setCategoryName(propertyValue.toString());
 		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.CLASSNAME))
-			item.setClassName(value.toString());
+			item.setClassName(propertyValue.toString());
 		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.CONTENT))
-			item.setContentString(value.toString());
+			item.setContentString(propertyValue.toString());
 		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.EDITORCLASSNAME))
-			item.setEditorClassName(value.toString());
+			item.setEditorClassName(propertyValue.toString());
 		else
-			setEntryProperty(item, property, value);
+			setEntryProperty(item, property, propertyValue);
 	}
 
 	protected void setProperty(SnippetVariable variable, String property, Object value) {
-		if (property == null || value == null)
+		if (property == null)
 			return;
-		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.DEFAULT))
-			variable.setDefaultValue(value.toString());
+		Object propertyValue = value;
+		if(propertyValue == null) {
+			propertyValue = "";
+		}
+		if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.DEFAULT))
+			variable.setDefaultValue(propertyValue.toString());
 		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.DESCRIPTION))
-			variable.setDescription(value.toString());
+			variable.setDescription(propertyValue.toString());
 		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.NAME))
-			variable.setName(value.toString());
+			variable.setName(propertyValue.toString());
 		else if (property.equals(SnippetsPlugin.NAMES.ID))
-			variable.setId(value.toString());
+			variable.setId(propertyValue.toString());
 	}
 }
\ No newline at end of file