diff --git a/core/org.eclipse.birt.core/src/org/eclipse/birt/core/data/DateFormatISO8601.java b/core/org.eclipse.birt.core/src/org/eclipse/birt/core/data/DateFormatISO8601.java
index 769f89c45c1..a5d128bc1af 100644
--- a/core/org.eclipse.birt.core/src/org/eclipse/birt/core/data/DateFormatISO8601.java
+++ b/core/org.eclipse.birt.core/src/org/eclipse/birt/core/data/DateFormatISO8601.java
@@ -53,7 +53,10 @@ public static Date parse( String source, TimeZone timeZone ) throws BirtExceptio
 			{
 				dateFormat.setTimeZone( timeZone );
 			}
-			resultDate = dateFormat.parse( source );
+			if ( dateFormat != null )
+			{
+				resultDate = dateFormat.parse( source );
+			}
 			return resultDate;
 		}
 		catch ( ParseException e )