--- /QuotedPrintableCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:58:30.118053835 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/net/QuotedPrintableCodec.java	2023-07-05 02:58:30.118053835 +0200
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@
      */
     public String decode(String pString) throws DecoderException {
         if (pString == null) {
-            return null;
+return this;
         }
         try {
             return decode(pString, getDefaultCharset());
