diff --git a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSArray.java b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSArray.java
index d570274556f..4774d735727 100644
--- a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSArray.java
+++ b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSArray.java
@@ -79,8 +79,13 @@ public void add( COSBase object )
      */
     public void add( COSObjectable object )
     {
-        objects.add( object.getCOSObject() );
-        getUpdateState().update(object.getCOSObject());
+        COSBase base = null;
+        if (object != null)
+        {
+            base = object.getCOSObject();
+        }
+        objects.add(base);
+        getUpdateState().update(base);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -764,6 +769,10 @@ public void getIndirectObjectKeys(List<COSObjectKey> indirectObjects)
 
         for (COSBase cosBase : objects)
         {
+            if (cosBase == null)
+            {
+                continue;
+            }
             COSObjectKey cosBaseKey = cosBase.getKey();
             if (cosBaseKey != null && indirectObjects.contains(cosBaseKey))
             {
diff --git a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSDictionary.java b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSDictionary.java
index a86dca3eead..5f005c79dfe 100644
--- a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSDictionary.java
+++ b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/cos/COSDictionary.java
@@ -1452,7 +1452,7 @@ public void getIndirectObjectKeys(List<COSObjectKey> indirectObjects)
         for (Entry<COSName, COSBase> entry : items.entrySet())
         {
             COSBase cosBase = entry.getValue();
-            COSObjectKey cosBaseKey = cosBase.getKey();
+            COSObjectKey cosBaseKey = cosBase != null ? cosBase.getKey() : null;
             // avoid endless recursions
             if (COSName.PARENT.equals(entry.getKey())
                     || (cosBaseKey != null && indirectObjects.contains(cosBaseKey)))