diff --git a/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java b/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java
index f6b7c420436..e8fa23d6ac5 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.portlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/portlet/mvc/annotation/AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter.java
@@ -600,9 +600,12 @@ public class AnnotationMethodHandlerAdapter extends PortletContentGenerator impl
 			if (Cookie.class.isAssignableFrom(paramType)) {
 				return cookieValue;
 			}
-			else {
+			else if (cookieValue != null) {
 				return cookieValue.getValue();
 			}
+			else {
+				return null;
+			}
 		}
 
 		@Override