diff --git a/dspace-xmlui/dspace-xmlui-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/aspect/administrative/FlowEPersonUtils.java b/dspace-xmlui/dspace-xmlui-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/aspect/administrative/FlowEPersonUtils.java
index d5da4fc5e3..57f8318331 100644
--- a/dspace-xmlui/dspace-xmlui-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/aspect/administrative/FlowEPersonUtils.java
+++ b/dspace-xmlui/dspace-xmlui-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/app/xmlui/aspect/administrative/FlowEPersonUtils.java
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ public class FlowEPersonUtils {
     		EPerson personModified = EPerson.find(context, epersonID);
         	
     		// Make sure the email address we are changing to is unique
-        	if (!personModified.getEmail().equals(email))
+        	String originalEmail = personModified.getEmail();
+            if (originalEmail == null || !originalEmail.equals(email))
         	{	
         		EPerson potentialDupicate = EPerson.findByEmail(context,email);
         		
@@ -207,13 +208,16 @@ public class FlowEPersonUtils {
         			return result;
         		}
         	}
-        	if (!personModified.getFirstName().equals(first)) {
+        	String originalFirstName = personModified.getFirstName();
+            if (originalFirstName == null || !originalFirstName.equals(first)) {
         		personModified.setFirstName(first);
         	}
-        	if (!personModified.getLastName().equals(last)) {
+        	String originalLastName = personModified.getLastName();
+            if (originalLastName == null || !originalLastName.equals(last)) {
         		personModified.setLastName(last);
         	}
-        	if (!personModified.getMetadata("phone").equals(phone)) {
+        	String originalPhone = personModified.getMetadata("phone");
+            if (originalPhone == null || !originalPhone.equals(phone)) {
         		personModified.setMetadata("phone", phone);
         	}
         	personModified.setCanLogIn(login);
diff --git a/dspace/CHANGES b/dspace/CHANGES
index 7a9cb56078..2f9b1fca6c 100644
--- a/dspace/CHANGES
+++ b/dspace/CHANGES
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@
  - [DS-81] Subscription not sent correctly - ID: 2667590
  - [DS-99] Non-admin user and admin menu options (1.5.1 XMUI only) - ID: 2353606
  - [DS-157] Ukrainian for DSpace 1.5.2 - JSPUI only (gone into google code)
+ - [DS-186] NPE during edit of eperson in XMLUI
  
 (Paulo Jobim)
  - [DS-138] SF Patch [2655052] Authors re-ordered when item edited (xmlui)