diff --git a/src/main/java/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowable.java b/src/main/java/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowable.java
index fa3f16e..b637762 100644
--- a/src/main/java/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowable.java
+++ b/src/main/java/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowable.java
@@ -11,11 +11,10 @@ public final class OptionalThrowable implements Serializable {
 
   /**
    * Constructs an <code>OptionalThrowable</code> containing a <code>Throwable</code>.
+   * @param exception if null an empty OptionalThrowable will be created
+   * @see sbt.testing.OptionalThrowable#isEmpty()
    */
   public OptionalThrowable(Throwable exception) {
-    if (exception == null) {
-      throw new NullPointerException("Cannot pass a null exception to OptionalThrowable's constructor.");
-    }
     this.exception = exception;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/test/scala/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowableSpec.scala b/src/test/scala/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowableSpec.scala
index dbb288c..6929502 100644
--- a/src/test/scala/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowableSpec.scala
+++ b/src/test/scala/sbt/testing/OptionalThrowableSpec.scala
@@ -37,10 +37,9 @@ class OptionalThrowableSpec extends UnitSpec {
         }
       }
     }
-    def `should throw NPE from constructor if null passed` {
-      a [NullPointerException] should be thrownBy {
-        new OptionalThrowable(null)
-      }
+    def `should be empty and not-defined if constructed with null` {
+      new OptionalThrowable(null).isEmpty shouldBe true
+      new OptionalThrowable(null).isDefined shouldBe false
     }
     def `should have a properly behaving equals method` {
       def1 shouldEqual def1