diff --git a/scripts/__tests__/griddle-test.js b/scripts/__tests__/griddle-test.js
index 885a80d7..a6880eac 100644
--- a/scripts/__tests__/griddle-test.js
+++ b/scripts/__tests__/griddle-test.js
@@ -154,6 +154,11 @@ describe('Griddle', function() {
     expect(grid.state.filteredResults.length).toEqual(1);
   });
 
+  it('correctly handles a null value in defaultColumnFilter', function(){
+    const test = grid.defaultColumnFilter(null, 'May');
+    expect(test).toEqual(false);
+  });
+
   it('sets the filteredResults when filterByColumn called on object field', function(){
     grid.filterByColumn('Hawaii', 'address');
     expect(grid.state.filteredResults.length).toEqual(1);
diff --git a/scripts/griddle.jsx b/scripts/griddle.jsx
index 4af18c47..86a327ba 100644
--- a/scripts/griddle.jsx
+++ b/scripts/griddle.jsx
@@ -166,7 +166,9 @@ var Griddle = React.createClass({
 
     defaultColumnFilter(value, filter) {
       return _filter(deep.getObjectValues(value), function(value) {
-        return value.toString().toLowerCase().indexOf(filter.toLowerCase()) >= 0;
+        if (value !== null && value.toString) {
+          return value.toString().toLowerCase().indexOf(filter.toLowerCase()) >= 0;
+        }
       }).length > 0;
     },