diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/DDCreator.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/DDCreator.java
index 529a0a9c7..a43ff66ff 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/DDCreator.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/DDCreator.java
@@ -68,12 +68,12 @@ public class DDCreator extends MatchingTask {
         if (descriptorDirectory == null
             || !descriptorDirectory.isDirectory()) {
             throw new BuildException("descriptors directory "
-                + descriptorDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
+                + descriptorDirectory == null ? null : descriptorDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
         }
         if (generatedFilesDirectory == null
             || !generatedFilesDirectory.isDirectory()) {
             throw new BuildException("dest directory "
-                + generatedFilesDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
+                + generatedFilesDirectory == null ? null : generatedFilesDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
         }
 
         String args = descriptorDirectory + " " + generatedFilesDirectory;
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/Ejbc.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/Ejbc.java
index 239669e7e..580412a74 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/Ejbc.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/taskdefs/optional/ejb/Ejbc.java
@@ -82,18 +82,18 @@ public class Ejbc extends MatchingTask {
         if (descriptorDirectory == null
             || !descriptorDirectory.isDirectory()) {
             throw new BuildException("descriptors directory "
-                + descriptorDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
+                + descriptorDirectory == null ? null : descriptorDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
         }
         if (generatedFilesDirectory == null
             || !generatedFilesDirectory.isDirectory()) {
             throw new BuildException("dest directory "
-                + generatedFilesDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
+                + generatedFilesDirectory == null ? null : generatedFilesDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
         }
 
         if (sourceDirectory == null
             || !sourceDirectory.isDirectory()) {
             throw new BuildException("src directory "
-                + sourceDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
+                + sourceDirectory == null ? null : sourceDirectory.getPath() + " is not valid");
         }
 
         String systemClassPath = System.getProperty("java.class.path");