Index: C:/workspace/woden/XmlSchema-1.3-RC1/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/commons/schema/SchemaBuilder.java
===================================================================
--- C:/workspace/woden/XmlSchema-1.3-RC1/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/commons/schema/SchemaBuilder.java	(revision 524064)
+++ C:/workspace/woden/XmlSchema-1.3-RC1/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/commons/schema/SchemaBuilder.java	(working copy)
@@ -167,8 +167,10 @@
             } else if (el.getLocalName().equals("import")) {
                 XmlSchemaImport schemaImport = handleImport(schema,
                         el, schemaEl);
-                schema.includes.add(schemaImport);
-                schema.items.add(schemaImport);
+                if(schemaImport != null) {
+                    schema.includes.add(schemaImport);
+                    schema.items.add(schemaImport);
+                }
             } else if (el.getLocalName().equals("group")) {
                 XmlSchemaGroup group = handleGroup(schema, el, schemaEl);
                 schema.groups.collection.put(group.name, group);