diff --git a/src/main/java/org/jbake/app/DBUtil.java b/src/main/java/org/jbake/app/DBUtil.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/jbake/app/DBUtil.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/jbake/app/DBUtil.java
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ public class DBUtil {
      */
     @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
     public static String[] toStringArray(Object entry) {
-        if (entry instanceof String[]) {
+    	if(entry==null) {
+    		return new String[0];
+    	} else if (entry instanceof String[]) {
             return (String[]) entry;
         } else if (entry instanceof OTrackedList) {
             OTrackedList<String> list = (OTrackedList<String>) entry;
fixes #<I> by making sure no null tag list could break the process