Index: kernel-impl/src/test/java/org/sakaiproject/component/impl/BasicConfigurationServiceTest.java
===================================================================
--- kernel-impl/src/test/java/org/sakaiproject/component/impl/BasicConfigurationServiceTest.java	(revision 130729)
+++ kernel-impl/src/test/java/org/sakaiproject/component/impl/BasicConfigurationServiceTest.java	(working copy)
@@ -251,6 +251,13 @@
         basicConfigurationService.addConfigItem( new ConfigItemImpl("booleanVal3", null), SOURCE);
         booleanValue = basicConfigurationService.getBoolean("booleanVal3", true); // value is null
         assertEquals(true, booleanValue);
+
+        // NOTE: this is internal only (i.e. no one outside the kernel could encounter this)
+        ConfigItemImpl booleanVal4 = new ConfigItemImpl("booleanVal4", null);
+        booleanVal4.setDefaultValue(""); // causes an NPE
+        basicConfigurationService.addConfigItem( booleanVal4, SOURCE);
+        boolean booleanValue4 = basicConfigurationService.getBoolean("booleanVal4", false);
+        assertEquals(false, booleanValue4);    
     }
 
 }
Index: kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/component/impl/BasicConfigurationService.java
===================================================================
--- kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/component/impl/BasicConfigurationService.java	(revision 130729)
+++ kernel-impl/src/main/java/org/sakaiproject/component/impl/BasicConfigurationService.java	(working copy)
@@ -692,7 +692,7 @@
     {
         String value = getString(name);
 
-        if (value.length() == 0) return dflt;
+        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(value)) return dflt;
 
         return Integer.parseInt(value);
     }
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@
     {
         String value = getString(name);
 
-        if (value.length() == 0) return dflt;
+        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(value)) return dflt;
 
         return Boolean.valueOf(value).booleanValue();
     }