diff --git a/src/main/java/com/intel/jndn/management/EncodingHelper.java b/src/main/java/com/intel/jndn/management/EncodingHelper.java
index 49a775f..b24241d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/intel/jndn/management/EncodingHelper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/intel/jndn/management/EncodingHelper.java
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@
     encoder.writeOptionalNonNegativeIntegerTlv(Tlv.ControlParameters_FaceId, controlParameters.getFaceId());
 
     // Encode name
-    if (controlParameters.getName().size() != 0) {
+    if (controlParameters.getName() != null && controlParameters.getName().size() != 0) {
       encodeName(controlParameters.getName(), encoder);
     }