Index: Validator.java
===================================================================
--- Validator.java	(revision 1594147)
+++ Validator.java	(working copy)
@@ -1124,10 +1124,12 @@
 
                 // When attribute is not an expression,
                 // contains its textual value with \$ and \# escaping removed.
-                String textAttributeValue;
+                String textAttributeValue = "";
                 if (!elExpression && el != null) {
                     // Should be a single Text node
-                    textAttributeValue = ((ELNode.Text) el.iterator().next()).getText();
+                   if(el.iterator().hasNext()) {
+                      textAttributeValue = ((ELNode.Text) el.iterator().next()).getText();
+                   }
                 } else {
                     textAttributeValue = xmlAttributeValue;
                 }