--- /URLCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:59:14.346052228 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/net/URLCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:59:14.346052228 +0200
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@
      */
     public String encode(String pString) throws EncoderException {
         if (pString == null) {
-            return null;
+return this;
         }
         try {
             return encode(pString, getDefaultCharset());
