diff --git a/lib/gears/string.lua b/lib/gears/string.lua
index 973db01c..a4e4db95 100644
--- a/lib/gears/string.lua
+++ b/lib/gears/string.lua
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ end
 -- @tparam string sub String to check for.
 -- @staticfct gears.string.startswith
 function gstring.startswith(str, sub)
-    return string.sub(str, 1, string.len(sub)) == sub
+    return str and (string.sub(str, 1, string.len(sub)) == sub) or false
 end
 
 --- Check if a string ends with another string.
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ end
 -- @treturn boolean `true` if string ends with specified string
 -- @staticfct gears.string.endswith
 function gstring.endswith(str, sub)
-    return sub == "" or string.sub(str,-string.len(sub)) == sub
+    return str and (sub == "" or string.sub(str,-string.len(sub)) == sub) or false
 end
 
 return gstring
diff --git a/spec/gears/string_spec.lua b/spec/gears/string_spec.lua
index a696cbb2..9feeb60e 100644
--- a/spec/gears/string_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/gears/string_spec.lua
@@ -34,12 +34,14 @@ describe("gears.string", function()
         assert.is_true(gstring.startswith("something", ""))
         assert.is_true(gstring.startswith("something", "some"))
         assert.is_false(gstring.startswith("something", "none"))
+        assert.is_false(gstring.startswith(nil, "anything"))
     end)
 
     describe("endswith", function()
         assert.is_true(gstring.endswith("something", ""))
         assert.is_true(gstring.endswith("something", "thing"))
         assert.is_false(gstring.endswith("something", "that"))
+        assert.is_false(gstring.endswith(nil, "anything"))
     end)
 
     describe("split", function()
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.lua b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.lua
index 7cddc51e..742a9988 100644
--- a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.lua
@@ -10,3 +10,6 @@ res = gears.string.endswith(test,"do")
 print(tostring(res))
 assert(res == false) --DOC_HIDE
 
+res = gears.string.endswith(nil,"it")
+print(tostring(res))
+assert(res == false) --DOC_HIDE
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.output.txt b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.output.txt
index da29283a..36bc6136 100644
--- a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.output.txt
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/endswith.output.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 true
 false
+false
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.lua b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.lua
index f6254389..a0a45985 100644
--- a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.lua
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.lua
@@ -9,3 +9,7 @@ assert(res == true) --DOC_HIDE
 res = gears.string.startswith(test,"it")
 print(tostring(res)) -- print boolean value
 assert(res == false) --DOC_HIDE
+
+res = gears.string.startswith(nil,"do")
+print(tostring(res)) -- print boolean value
+assert(res == false) --DOC_HIDE
diff --git a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.output.txt b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.output.txt
index da29283a..36bc6136 100644
--- a/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.output.txt
+++ b/tests/examples/text/gears/string/startswith.output.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 true
 false
+false