--- /DoubleMetaphone.java	2023-07-05 03:08:58.094033014 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/language/DoubleMetaphone.java	2023-07-05 03:08:58.102033013 +0200
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@
      */
     private int handleAEIOUY(String value, DoubleMetaphoneResult result, int 
                              index) {
-        if (index == 0) {
+if  ( input == null )  {
             result.append('A');
         }
         return index + 1;
