diff --git a/Source/SPDatabaseData.m b/Source/SPDatabaseData.m
index 2d1d4f14f..1d5339d94 100644
--- a/Source/SPDatabaseData.m
+++ b/Source/SPDatabaseData.m
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ - (NSString *)getDefaultCollationForEncoding:(NSString *)encoding
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return defaultCollationForCharacterSet;
+	return [[defaultCollationForCharacterSet copy] autorelease]; // -copy accepts nil, -stringWithString: does not
 }
 
 /**