diff --git a/eclipse-language-servers/org.springframework.tooling.boot.ls/src/org/springframework/tooling/boot/ls/SpringBootLanguageServer.java b/eclipse-language-servers/org.springframework.tooling.boot.ls/src/org/springframework/tooling/boot/ls/SpringBootLanguageServer.java
index bef01d472..dd38bf3c0 100644
--- a/eclipse-language-servers/org.springframework.tooling.boot.ls/src/org/springframework/tooling/boot/ls/SpringBootLanguageServer.java
+++ b/eclipse-language-servers/org.springframework.tooling.boot.ls/src/org/springframework/tooling/boot/ls/SpringBootLanguageServer.java
@@ -55,12 +55,14 @@ public class SpringBootLanguageServer extends STS4LanguageServerProcessStreamCon
 
 	private void addCustomJVMArgs(List<String> args) {
 		String customArgs = System.getProperty("boot.ls.custom.vmargs");
-
-		String prefix = "";
-		String[] separateArgs = customArgs.split(",-");
-		for (String arg : separateArgs) {
-			args.add(prefix + arg);
-			prefix = "-";
+		
+		if (customArgs != null) {
+			String prefix = "";
+			String[] separateArgs = customArgs.split(",-");
+			for (String arg : separateArgs) {
+				args.add(prefix + arg);
+				prefix = "-";
+			}
 		}
 	}