--- a/jdk/src/jdk.incubator.httpclient/share/classes/jdk/incubator/http/HttpRequestImpl.java	Wed Jun 28 17:57:20 2017 -0700
+++ b/jdk/src/jdk.incubator.httpclient/share/classes/jdk/incubator/http/HttpRequestImpl.java	Thu Jun 29 11:10:30 2017 +0100
@@ -58,7 +58,8 @@
      * Creates an HttpRequestImpl from the given builder.
      */
     public HttpRequestImpl(HttpRequestBuilderImpl builder) {
-        this.method = builder.method();
+        String method = builder.method();
+        this.method = method == null? "GET" : method;
         this.userHeaders = ImmutableHeaders.of(builder.headers().map(), ALLOWED_HEADERS);
         this.systemHeaders = new HttpHeadersImpl();
         this.uri = builder.uri();
@@ -77,7 +78,8 @@
      * Creates an HttpRequestImpl from the given request.
      */
     public HttpRequestImpl(HttpRequest request) {
-        this.method = request.method();
+        String method = request.method();
+        this.method = method == null? "GET" : method;
         this.userHeaders = request.headers();
         if (request instanceof HttpRequestImpl) {
             this.systemHeaders = ((HttpRequestImpl) request).systemHeaders;