--- /QCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:20:18.566123299 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/net/QCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:20:18.566123299 +0200
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@
      */
     public Object encode(Object pObject) throws EncoderException {
         if (pObject == null) {
-            return null;
+return this;
         } else if (pObject instanceof String) {
             return encode((String) pObject);
         } else {
