logger.entering(Core.class.getName(), "loadConfiguration()");
/* get names of all local Sones. */
- String allSoneNamesString = configuration.getStringValue("Sone/Names").getValue("");
+ String allSoneNamesString = configuration.getStringValue("Sone/Names").getValue(null);
+ if (allSoneNamesString == null) {
+ allSoneNamesString = "";
+ }
List<String> allSoneNames;
try {
allSoneNames = StringEscaper.parseLine(allSoneNamesString);