diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtils.java b/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtils.java
index 386319b2a9..c07ed5a6f0 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtils.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtils.java
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ public final static URI createUri(String u) {
             return URI.create(u + "/");
         }
 
+        if (uri.getHost() == null) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The URI host, of the URI " + uri + ", must be non-null.");
+        }
+
         return uri;
     }
 
diff --git a/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtils.java b/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtils.java
index b48f7c7535..9174778bd3 100644
--- a/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtils.java
+++ b/api/src/main/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtils.java
@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ public static boolean avoidProxy(final ProxyServer proxyServer, final Request re
      */
     public static boolean avoidProxy(final ProxyServer proxyServer, final String target) {
         if (proxyServer != null) {
-            final String targetHost = target.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH);
+            final String targetHost = (target != null) ?
+                target.toLowerCase(Locale.ENGLISH) : "";
 
             List<String> nonProxyHosts = proxyServer.getNonProxyHosts();
 
diff --git a/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtilsTest.java b/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtilsTest.java
index 06ab8fbc12..669003c220 100644
--- a/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtilsTest.java
+++ b/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/AsyncHttpProviderUtilsTest.java
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 package org.asynchttpclient.util;
 
 import static org.testng.Assert.assertEquals;
+import static org.testng.Assert.fail;
 
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
@@ -44,4 +45,14 @@ public void getRedirectUriShouldHandleRelativeLocation() {
         URI uri = AsyncHttpProviderUtils.getRedirectUri(URI.create("http://www.ebay.de/"), url);
         assertEquals(uri.toString(), "http://www.ebay.de/sch/sis.html;jsessionid=92D73F80262E3EBED7E115ED01035DDA?_nkw=FSC%20Lifebook%20E8310%20Core2Duo%20T8100%202%201GHz%204GB%20DVD%20RW&_itemId=150731406505");
     }
+    
+    @Test(groups = "fast")
+    public void createUriFailsWithBadHost() throws Exception {
+        try {
+            final String BAD_HOST_URL = "http:///";
+            URI uri = AsyncHttpProviderUtils.createUri(BAD_HOST_URL);
+            fail("Expected IllegalArgumentException for url: " + BAD_HOST_URL);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException ex) {
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtilsTest.java b/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtilsTest.java
index fdcb8884bd..19db97cfa7 100644
--- a/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtilsTest.java
+++ b/api/src/test/java/org/asynchttpclient/util/ProxyUtilsTest.java
@@ -44,5 +44,11 @@ public void testBasics() {
         proxyServer = new ProxyServer("foo", 1234);
         proxyServer.addNonProxyHost("*.somewhere.org");
         assertFalse(ProxyUtils.avoidProxy(proxyServer, req));
+
+        // shouldn't crash
+        req = new RequestBuilder("GET").setUrl("http://badhost/foo").build();
+        proxyServer = new ProxyServer("foo", 1234);
+        proxyServer.addNonProxyHost("*.somewhere.org");
+        assertFalse(ProxyUtils.avoidProxy(proxyServer, req));
     }
 }