diff --git a/SWIG/Lib/java/java.swg b/SWIG/Lib/java/java.swg
index d7b59ccd9..c8161d225 100644
--- a/SWIG/Lib/java/java.swg
+++ b/SWIG/Lib/java/java.swg
@@ -598,11 +598,17 @@
 %typemap(directorin,descriptor="L$packagepath/$javaclassname;") SWIGTYPE *, SWIGTYPE (CLASS::*)
 %{ *(($&1_ltype)&$input) = ($1_ltype) $1; %}
 
+%typemap(directorout) SWIGTYPE &
+%{ if (!$input) {
+     SWIG_JavaThrowException(jenv, SWIG_JavaNullPointerException, "Unexpected null return for type $1_type");
+     return $null;
+   }
+   $1 = ($1_ltype)$input; %}
 %typemap(directorin,descriptor="L$packagepath/$javaclassname;") SWIGTYPE &
 %{ *($&1_ltype)&$input = ($1_ltype) &$1; %}
 
-%typemap(javadirectorin) SWIGTYPE *, SWIGTYPE (CLASS::*), SWIGTYPE &, const SWIGTYPE & "new $javaclassname($jniinput, false)"
-%typemap(javadirectorout) SWIGTYPE *, SWIGTYPE (CLASS::*), SWIGTYPE &, const SWIGTYPE & "$javaclassname.getCPtr($javacall)"
+%typemap(javadirectorin) SWIGTYPE *, SWIGTYPE (CLASS::*), SWIGTYPE & "new $javaclassname($jniinput, false)"
+%typemap(javadirectorout) SWIGTYPE *, SWIGTYPE (CLASS::*), SWIGTYPE & "$javaclassname.getCPtr($javacall)"
 
 /* Default array handling */
 %typemap(in) SWIGTYPE [] %{ $1 = *($&1_ltype)&$input; %}