diff --git a/mifosng-provider/src/main/java/org/mifosng/platform/api/infrastructure/ApiDataConversionServiceImpl.java b/mifosng-provider/src/main/java/org/mifosng/platform/api/infrastructure/ApiDataConversionServiceImpl.java
index d5a2f29c8..adad00b29 100644
--- a/mifosng-provider/src/main/java/org/mifosng/platform/api/infrastructure/ApiDataConversionServiceImpl.java
+++ b/mifosng-provider/src/main/java/org/mifosng/platform/api/infrastructure/ApiDataConversionServiceImpl.java
@@ -118,27 +118,30 @@ public class ApiDataConversionServiceImpl implements ApiDataConversionService {
 	public Locale localeFromString(final String localeAsString) {
 		
 		Locale locale = Locale.getDefault();
-		
-		String[] localeParts = localeAsString.split("_");
-		String language = "en";
-		String country = "GB";
-		String variant = "";
-		if (localeParts != null && localeParts.length == 1) {
-			language = localeParts[0];
-			locale = new Locale(language);
-		}
-		
-		if (localeParts != null && localeParts.length == 2) {
-			language = localeParts[0];
-			country = localeParts[1];
-			locale = new Locale(language, country);
-		}
-		
-		if (localeParts != null && localeParts.length == 3) {
-			language = localeParts[0];
-			country = localeParts[1];
-			variant = localeParts[2];
-			locale = new Locale(language, country, variant);
+
+		if (StringUtils.isNotBlank(localeAsString)) {
+			String[] localeParts = localeAsString.split("_");
+			
+			String language = "en";
+			String country = "GB";
+			String variant = "";
+			if (localeParts != null && localeParts.length == 1) {
+				language = localeParts[0];
+				locale = new Locale(language);
+			}
+			
+			if (localeParts != null && localeParts.length == 2) {
+				language = localeParts[0];
+				country = localeParts[1];
+				locale = new Locale(language, country);
+			}
+			
+			if (localeParts != null && localeParts.length == 3) {
+				language = localeParts[0];
+				country = localeParts[1];
+				variant = localeParts[2];
+				locale = new Locale(language, country, variant);
+			}
 		}
 		
 		return locale;