diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index f0b58229ff..e75cad5992 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+2009-02-06  Matthew Barnes  <mbarnes@redhat.com>
+
+	* gtk/gtklabel.c (gtk_label_set_label): Accept a NULL string.
+
 2009-02-03  Matthias Clasen  <mclasen@redhat.com>
 
 	Bug 538439 – tooltip may appear in upper left corner instead of 
diff --git a/gtk/gtklabel.c b/gtk/gtklabel.c
index 209c3692e8..91ab5ccb31 100644
--- a/gtk/gtklabel.c
+++ b/gtk/gtklabel.c
@@ -1760,11 +1760,10 @@ gtk_label_set_label (GtkLabel    *label,
 		     const gchar *str)
 {
   g_return_if_fail (GTK_IS_LABEL (label));
-  g_return_if_fail (str != NULL);
 
   g_object_freeze_notify (G_OBJECT (label));
 
-  gtk_label_set_label_internal (label, g_strdup (str));
+  gtk_label_set_label_internal (label, g_strdup (str ? str : ""));
   gtk_label_recalculate (label);
 
   g_object_thaw_notify (G_OBJECT (label));