2 files changed, 7 insertions, 5 deletions
diff --git a/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/JogampVersion.java b/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/JogampVersion.java
index 2c218ce..f7da413 100644
--- a/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/JogampVersion.java
+++ b/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/JogampVersion.java
@@ -48,9 +48,9 @@ public class JogampVersion {
 
     protected JogampVersion(String packageName, Manifest mf) {
         this.packageName = packageName;
-        this.mf = mf;
-        this.hash = mf.hashCode();
-        mainAttributes = mf.getMainAttributes();
+        this.mf = ( null != mf ) ? mf : new Manifest();
+        this.hash = this.mf.hashCode();
+        mainAttributes = this.mf.getMainAttributes();
         mainAttributeNames = mainAttributes.keySet();
     }
 
diff --git a/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/VersionNumber.java b/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/VersionNumber.java
index 8c997e6..f0ba820 100644
--- a/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/VersionNumber.java
+++ b/src/java/com/jogamp/common/util/VersionNumber.java
@@ -54,9 +54,11 @@ public class VersionNumber implements Comparable {
     }
     
     public final int compareTo(Object o) {
-        if( ! ( o instanceof VersionNumber ) ) {
-            return -1;
+        if ( ! ( o instanceof VersionNumber ) ) {
+            Class c = (null != o) ? o.getClass() : null ;
+            throw new ClassCastException("Not a Capabilities object: " + c);
         }
+
         VersionNumber vo = (VersionNumber) o;
         if (major > vo.major) {
             return 1;