--- /QCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:57:51.706055256 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/net/QCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:57:51.706055256 +0200
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@
      */
     public String decode(String pString) throws DecoderException {
         if (pString == null) {
-            return null;
+return this;
         }
         try {
             return decodeText(pString);
