Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/actions/UploadAction.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/actions/UploadAction.java	(revision 1629)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/actions/UploadAction.java	(revision 1630)
@@ -105,5 +105,5 @@
                 p.add(new JLabel(tr("Provide a brief comment for the changes you are uploading:")), GBC.eol().insets(0, 5, 10, 3));
                 SuggestingJHistoryComboBox cmt = new SuggestingJHistoryComboBox();
-                List<String> cmtHistory = new LinkedList<String>(Main.pref.getCollection(HISTORY_KEY, null));
+                List<String> cmtHistory = new LinkedList<String>(Main.pref.getCollection(HISTORY_KEY, new LinkedList<String>()));
                 cmt.setHistory(cmtHistory);
                 //final JTextField cmt = new JTextField(lastCommitComment);
Index: trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/OsmServerWriter.java
===================================================================
--- trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/OsmServerWriter.java	(revision 1629)
+++ trunk/src/org/openstreetmap/josm/io/OsmServerWriter.java	(revision 1630)
@@ -100,5 +100,6 @@
                 // add the last entered comment to the changeset
                 String cmt = "";
-                List<String> history = new LinkedList<String>(Main.pref.getCollection(UploadAction.HISTORY_KEY, null));
+                List<String> history = new LinkedList<String>(
+                Main.pref.getCollection(UploadAction.HISTORY_KEY, new LinkedList<String>()));
                 if(history.size() > 0) {
                     cmt = history.get(0);