--- /BCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:20:27.634124121 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/net/BCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:20:27.638124122 +0200
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@
      */
     public String encode(String value) throws EncoderException {
         if (value == null) {
-            return null;
+return this;
         }
         return encode(value, getDefaultCharset());
     }
