diff --git a/src/main/java/loci/common/Location.java b/src/main/java/loci/common/Location.java
index 8d214164..78a2be0e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/loci/common/Location.java
+++ b/src/main/java/loci/common/Location.java
@@ -125,11 +125,11 @@ public Location(File file) {
   }
 
   public Location(String parent, String child) {
-    this(parent + File.separator + child);
+    this(parent == null ? child : parent + File.separator + child);
   }
 
   public Location(Location parent, String child) {
-    this(parent.getAbsolutePath(), child);
+    this(parent == null ? (String) null : parent.getAbsolutePath(), child);
   }
 
   // -- Location API methods --
@@ -620,7 +620,9 @@ public String getParent() {
 
   /* @see java.io.File#getParentFile() */
   public Location getParentFile() {
-    return new Location(getParent());
+    String parent = this.getParent();
+    if (parent == null) return null;
+    return new Location(parent);
   }
 
   /* @see java.io.File#getPath() */
diff --git a/src/test/java/loci/common/utests/LocationTest.java b/src/test/java/loci/common/utests/LocationTest.java
index c835d804..cb13ef5b 100644
--- a/src/test/java/loci/common/utests/LocationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/loci/common/utests/LocationTest.java
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@
 package loci.common.utests;
 
 import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.assertEquals;
+import static org.testng.AssertJUnit.assertNull;
 
 import java.io.File;
 import java.io.IOException;
@@ -175,6 +176,14 @@ public void testParent() {
         file.getParentFile().getAbsolutePath());
     }
   }
+  
+  @Test
+  public void testParentNull() {
+    Location nullParent = new Location((String) null, "nullParentFile");
+    assertNull(nullParent.getParentFile());
+    nullParent = new Location((Location) null, "nullParentFile");
+    assertNull(nullParent.getParentFile());
+  }
 
   @Test
   public void testIsDirectory() {