Index: lams_tool_survey/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/survey/service/SurveyOutputFactory.java
===================================================================
diff -u -rc4dfe712e2f4adc4d448e5653df6430eb2949002 -r4b2d7c8c460d31ff41a04475aad6a152d0b22424
--- lams_tool_survey/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/survey/service/SurveyOutputFactory.java	(.../SurveyOutputFactory.java)	(revision c4dfe712e2f4adc4d448e5653df6430eb2949002)
+++ lams_tool_survey/src/java/org/lamsfoundation/lams/tool/survey/service/SurveyOutputFactory.java	(.../SurveyOutputFactory.java)	(revision 4b2d7c8c460d31ff41a04475aad6a152d0b22424)
@@ -135,9 +135,10 @@
 	    if (answerDTOs != null && !answerDTOs.isEmpty()) {
 		for (AnswerDTO answerDTO : answerDTOs) {
 		    SurveyAnswer surveyAnswer = answerDTO.getAnswer();
-		    SurveyQuestion question = surveyAnswer.getSurveyQuestion();
-		    if (question.getType() == SurveyConstants.QUESTION_TYPE_TEXT_ENTRY) {
-			textAnswers[question.getSequenceId() - 1] = surveyAnswer.getAnswerText();
+		    if (surveyAnswer != null) { // check for optional questions
+			SurveyQuestion question = surveyAnswer.getSurveyQuestion();
+			if (question.getType() == SurveyConstants.QUESTION_TYPE_TEXT_ENTRY)
+			    textAnswers[question.getSequenceId() - 1] = surveyAnswer.getAnswerText();
 		    }
 		}
 	    }