--- a/hotspot/src/share/vm/runtime/reflection.cpp	Fri Jan 11 09:53:24 2013 -0800
+++ b/hotspot/src/share/vm/runtime/reflection.cpp	Mon Jan 14 11:01:39 2013 -0500
@@ -862,7 +862,15 @@
 
 oop Reflection::new_parameter(Handle method, int index, Symbol* sym,
                               int flags, TRAPS) {
-  Handle name = java_lang_String::create_from_symbol(sym, CHECK_NULL);
+  Handle name;
+
+  // A null symbol here translates to the empty string
+  if(NULL != sym) {
+    name = java_lang_String::create_from_symbol(sym, CHECK_NULL);
+  } else {
+    name = java_lang_String::create_from_str("", CHECK_NULL);
+  }
+
   Handle rh = java_lang_reflect_Parameter::create(CHECK_NULL);
   java_lang_reflect_Parameter::set_name(rh(), name());
   java_lang_reflect_Parameter::set_modifiers(rh(), flags);