diff --git a/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java b/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java
index 369f5be91dac14266b5480aa1720039c9f04fc79..0e4d72fd31e4b96cfcd098fedc16d038fe47d16c 100644
--- a/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java
+++ b/test/src/main/java/org/jvnet/hudson/test/HudsonTestCase.java
@@ -1015,6 +1015,10 @@ public abstract class HudsonTestCase extends TestCase implements RootAction {
      * via {@link DataBoundConstructor}
      */
     public void assertEqualDataBoundBeans(Object lhs, Object rhs) throws Exception {
+        if (lhs==null && rhs==null)     return;
+        if (lhs==null)      fail("lhs is null while rhs="+rhs);
+        if (rhs==null)      fail("rhs is null while lhs="+rhs);
+        
         Constructor<?> lc = findDataBoundConstructor(lhs.getClass());
         Constructor<?> rc = findDataBoundConstructor(rhs.getClass());
         assertEquals("Data bound constructor mismatch. Different type?",lc,rc);