diff --git a/OpenSim/Framework/Capabilities/Caps.cs b/OpenSim/Framework/Capabilities/Caps.cs
index 7b0e053c26..e7f2e132e2 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Framework/Capabilities/Caps.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Framework/Capabilities/Caps.cs
@@ -967,6 +967,7 @@ namespace OpenSim.Framework.Capabilities
             InventoryItemBase item = new InventoryItemBase();
             item.Owner = m_agentID;
             item.CreatorId = m_agentID.ToString();
+            item.CreatorData = String.Empty;
             item.ID = inventoryItem;
             item.AssetID = asset.FullID;
             item.Description = assetDescription;
diff --git a/OpenSim/Services/Connectors/Inventory/XInventoryConnector.cs b/OpenSim/Services/Connectors/Inventory/XInventoryConnector.cs
index 88fbda355e..b3bfcc27df 100644
--- a/OpenSim/Services/Connectors/Inventory/XInventoryConnector.cs
+++ b/OpenSim/Services/Connectors/Inventory/XInventoryConnector.cs
@@ -302,6 +302,8 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.Connectors
 
         public bool AddItem(InventoryItemBase item)
         {
+            if (item.CreatorData == null)
+                item.CreatorData = String.Empty;
             Dictionary<string,object> ret = MakeRequest("ADDITEM",
                     new Dictionary<string,object> {
                         { "AssetID", item.AssetID.ToString() },
@@ -335,6 +337,8 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.Connectors
 
         public bool UpdateItem(InventoryItemBase item)
         {
+            if (item.CreatorData == null)
+                item.CreatorData = String.Empty;
             Dictionary<string,object> ret = MakeRequest("UPDATEITEM",
                     new Dictionary<string,object> {
                         { "AssetID", item.AssetID.ToString() },
@@ -558,7 +562,10 @@ namespace OpenSim.Services.Connectors
                 item.InvType = int.Parse(data["InvType"].ToString());
                 item.Folder = new UUID(data["Folder"].ToString());
                 item.CreatorId = data["CreatorId"].ToString();
-                item.CreatorData = data["CreatorData"].ToString();
+                if (data.ContainsKey("CreatorData"))
+                    item.CreatorData = data["CreatorData"].ToString();
+                else
+                    item.CreatorData = String.Empty;
                 item.Description = data["Description"].ToString();
                 item.NextPermissions = uint.Parse(data["NextPermissions"].ToString());
                 item.CurrentPermissions = uint.Parse(data["CurrentPermissions"].ToString());