diff --git a/exerr/constructor.go b/exerr/constructor.go
index ad41488..9896abc 100644
--- a/exerr/constructor.go
+++ b/exerr/constructor.go
@@ -13,6 +13,25 @@ var reflectTypeStr = reflect.TypeOf("")
 
 func FromError(err error) *ExErr {
 
+	if err == nil {
+		// prevent NPE if we call FromError with err==nil
+		return &ExErr{
+			UniqueID:       newID(),
+			Category:       CatForeign,
+			Type:           TypeInternal,
+			Severity:       SevErr,
+			Timestamp:      time.Time{},
+			StatusCode:     nil,
+			Message:        "",
+			WrappedErrType: "nil",
+			WrappedErr:     err,
+			Caller:         "",
+			OriginalError:  nil,
+			Meta:           make(MetaMap),
+			Extra:          make(map[string]any),
+		}
+	}
+
 	//goland:noinspection GoTypeAssertionOnErrors
 	if verr, ok := err.(*ExErr); ok {
 		// A simple ExErr
diff --git a/goextVersion.go b/goextVersion.go
index 9887d18..f302470 100644
--- a/goextVersion.go
+++ b/goextVersion.go
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 package goext
 
-const GoextVersion = "0.0.544"
+const GoextVersion = "0.0.545"
 
-const GoextVersionTimestamp = "2024-11-26T15:10:27+0100"
+const GoextVersionTimestamp = "2024-11-27T13:21:45+0100"