Index: /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/ConnectivityRelations.java
===================================================================
--- /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/ConnectivityRelations.java	(revision 16298)
+++ /trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/validation/tests/ConnectivityRelations.java	(revision 16299)
@@ -73,9 +73,10 @@
      */
     public static Map<Integer, Map<Integer, Boolean>> parseConnectivityTag(Relation relation) {
-        final String joined = relation.get(CONNECTIVITY_TAG).replace("bw", Integer.toString(BW));
-
-        if (joined == null) {
+        String cnTag = relation.get(CONNECTIVITY_TAG);
+        if (cnTag == null) {
             return Collections.emptyMap();
         }
+        final String joined = cnTag.replace("bw", Integer.toString(BW));
+
 
         final Map<Integer, Map<Integer, Boolean>> result = new HashMap<>();