--- /RFC1522Codec.java	2023-07-05 02:19:42.462119869 +0200
+++ /Codec-1/src/java/org/apache/commons/codec/net/RFC1522Codec.java	2023-07-05 02:19:42.462119869 +0200
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@
      throws EncoderException, UnsupportedEncodingException  
     {
         if (text == null) {
-            return null;
+return this;
         }
         StringBuffer buffer = new StringBuffer();
         buffer.append("=?"); 
