Index: src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/Term.java
===================================================================
--- src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/Term.java	(revision 512303)
+++ src/java/org/apache/lucene/index/Term.java	(working copy)
@@ -76,16 +76,26 @@
     return compareTo((Term)other);
   }
 
-  /** Compares two terms, returning a negative integer if this
-    term belongs before the argument, zero if this term is equal to the
-    argument, and a positive integer if this term belongs after the argument.
-
-    The ordering of terms is first by field, then by text.*/
-  public final int compareTo(Term other) {
-    if (field == other.field)			  // fields are interned
-      return text.compareTo(other.text);
-    else
-      return field.compareTo(other.field);
+  /** 
+   * Compares two terms, returning a negative integer if this term 
+   * belongs before the argument, 0 (zero) if this term is equal to the 
+   * argument, and a positive integer if this term belongs after the 
+   * argument. The ordering of terms is first by field, then by text.
+   */
+  public final int compareTo( final Term other ) {
+    if ( field == other.field ) { // fields are interned
+      if ( text == null && other.text == null ) {
+        return 0;
+      } else if ( text == null ) {
+        return -1;
+      } else if ( other.text == null ) {
+        return 1;
+      } else {
+        return text.compareTo( other.text );
+      }
+    } else {
+      return field.compareTo( other.field );
+    }
   }
 
   /** Resets the field and text of a Term. */