diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index be42719b..3a77a43b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # CHANGELOG
 
+# 1.0.3
+
+Fixed bug with  `NullPointerException` ([see](https://github.com/pchmn/MaterialChipsInput/issues/3) issue)
+
 # 1.0.2
 
 Fixed bug with avatar icon when creating `ChipView` programmatically ([see](https://github.com/pchmn/MaterialChipsInput/issues/2) issue)
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 10a7c5c9..01bdbda4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ Implementation of Material Design [Chips](https://material.io/guidelines/compone
 <img src="https://github.com/pchmn/MaterialChipsInput/blob/master/docs/demo2.gif" alt="Demo" height="600px"/>
 
 ## Demo
-[Download sample-v1.0.2.apk](https://github.com/pchmn/MaterialChipsInput/raw/master/docs/material-chips-input-sample-v1.0.2.apk)
+[Download sample-v1.0.3.apk](https://github.com/pchmn/MaterialChipsInput/raw/master/docs/material-chips-input-sample-v1.0.3.apk)
 
 ## Setup
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ allprojects {
 In your app level build.gradle :
 ```java
 dependencies {
-    compile 'com.github.pchmn:MaterialChipsInput:1.0.2'
+    compile 'com.github.pchmn:MaterialChipsInput:1.0.3'
 }      
 ```
 <br><br>
diff --git a/docs/material-chips-input-sample-v1.0.3.apk b/docs/material-chips-input-sample-v1.0.3.apk
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..42c97805
Binary files /dev/null and b/docs/material-chips-input-sample-v1.0.3.apk differ
diff --git a/library/build.gradle b/library/build.gradle
index 3f5d3941..4c19464b 100644
--- a/library/build.gradle
+++ b/library/build.gradle
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ android {
         minSdkVersion 15
         targetSdkVersion 25
         versionCode 3
-        versionName "1.0.2"
+        versionName "1.0.3"
 
         testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
 
diff --git a/library/src/main/java/com/pchmn/materialchips/util/LetterTileProvider.java b/library/src/main/java/com/pchmn/materialchips/util/LetterTileProvider.java
index 3d0c736d..416c3950 100644
--- a/library/src/main/java/com/pchmn/materialchips/util/LetterTileProvider.java
+++ b/library/src/main/java/com/pchmn/materialchips/util/LetterTileProvider.java
@@ -80,10 +80,11 @@ public LetterTileProvider(Context context) {
      *         default image is shown instead
      */
     public Bitmap getLetterTile(String displayName) {
-        if(displayName.length() == 0)
+        if(displayName == null || displayName.length() == 0)
             return null;
 
         final Bitmap bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(mWidth, mHeight, Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888);
+
         final char firstChar = displayName.charAt(0);
 
         final Canvas c = mCanvas;
@@ -96,7 +97,8 @@ public Bitmap getLetterTile(String displayName) {
             mPaint.getTextBounds(mFirstChar, 0, 1, mBounds);
             c.drawText(mFirstChar, 0, 1, mWidth / 2, mHeight / 2
                     + (mBounds.bottom - mBounds.top) / 2, mPaint);
-        } else {
+        }
+        else {
             // (32 - 24) / 2 = 4
             c.drawBitmap(mDefaultBitmap, ViewUtil.dpToPx(4), ViewUtil.dpToPx(4), null);
         }
@@ -110,6 +112,9 @@ public Bitmap getLetterTile(String displayName) {
      *         default image is shown instead
      */
     public Bitmap getCircularLetterTile(String displayName) {
+        if(displayName == null || displayName.length() == 0)
+            return null;
+
         final Bitmap bitmap = Bitmap.createBitmap(mWidth, mHeight, Bitmap.Config.ARGB_8888);
         final char firstChar = displayName.charAt(0);
 
diff --git a/sample/build.gradle b/sample/build.gradle
index 01dde3f4..93a87bb5 100644
--- a/sample/build.gradle
+++ b/sample/build.gradle
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ android {
         applicationId "com.pchmn.sample.materialchipsinput"
         minSdkVersion 15
         targetSdkVersion 25
-        versionCode 3
-        versionName "1.0.2"
+        versionCode 4
+        versionName "1.0.3"
         testInstrumentationRunner "android.support.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner"
     }
     buildTypes {