diff --git a/spring-cloud-release-tools-spring/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/release/internal/options/Options.java b/spring-cloud-release-tools-spring/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/release/internal/options/Options.java
index 0f9da1c8..5d5242c3 100644
--- a/spring-cloud-release-tools-spring/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/release/internal/options/Options.java
+++ b/spring-cloud-release-tools-spring/src/main/java/org/springframework/cloud/release/internal/options/Options.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public class Options {
 	}
 
 	private String removeQuotingChars(String string) {
-		if (string.startsWith("'") && string.endsWith("'")) {
+		if (string != null && string.startsWith("'") && string.endsWith("'")) {
 			return string.substring(1, string.length() - 1);
 		}
 		return string;