diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/LocalTransport.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/LocalTransport.java
index fe615de..9d72fa2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/LocalTransport.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/LocalTransport.java
@@ -61,7 +61,9 @@
     	Object requestHandler = c.newInstance();
     	Method method = c.getMethod(methodName, Element.class);
     	Node node = (Node) method.invoke(requestHandler, request);
-    	response = (Element) node.getFirstChild();
+    	if (node.getFirstChild()!=null) {
+    		response = (Element) node.getFirstChild();
+    	}
     } catch (Exception ex) {
       throw new TransportException(ex);
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/RMITransport.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/RMITransport.java
index 24c3132..afd9ae3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/RMITransport.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/ws/scout/transport/RMITransport.java
@@ -84,7 +84,9 @@
     	//Calling that method
     	Node node = (Node) method.invoke(requestHandler, request);
     	//The result is in the first element
-    	response = (Element) node.getFirstChild();
+    	if (node.getFirstChild()!=null) {
+    		response = (Element) node.getFirstChild();
+    	}
     }
     catch (Exception ex) {
       throw new TransportException(ex);