diff --git a/src/helma/framework/ResponseBean.java b/src/helma/framework/ResponseBean.java
index 063f9f6f..b3803a9c 100644
--- a/src/helma/framework/ResponseBean.java
+++ b/src/helma/framework/ResponseBean.java
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ public class ResponseBean implements Serializable {
 	res.writeBinary (what);
     }
 
-    public void debug (String message) {
+    public void debug (Object message) {
 	res.debug (message);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/helma/framework/ResponseTrans.java b/src/helma/framework/ResponseTrans.java
index 7db83c9d..6b9c5570 100644
--- a/src/helma/framework/ResponseTrans.java
+++ b/src/helma/framework/ResponseTrans.java
@@ -237,10 +237,13 @@ public final class ResponseTrans implements Externalizable {
      *  that buffer exists and its length is larger than offset. str may be null, in which
      *  case nothing happens.
      */
-    public void debug (String str) {
+    public void debug (Object message) {
 	if (debugBuffer == null)
 	    debugBuffer = new StringBuffer ();
-	debugBuffer.append ("<p><span style=\"background: yellow; color: black\">"+str+"</span></p>");
+	String str = message == null ? "null" : message.toString ();
+	debugBuffer.append ("<p><span style=\"background: yellow; color: black\">");
+	debugBuffer.append (str);
+	debugBuffer.append ("</span></p>");
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/helma/framework/core/ApplicationBean.java b/src/helma/framework/core/ApplicationBean.java
index cbda48d8..f5619ac0 100644
--- a/src/helma/framework/core/ApplicationBean.java
+++ b/src/helma/framework/core/ApplicationBean.java
@@ -24,23 +24,27 @@ public class ApplicationBean implements Serializable {
 	app.clearCache ();
     }
 
-    public void log (String msg) {
-	app.logEvent (msg);
+    public void log (Object msg) {
+	String str = msg == null ? "null" : msg.toString();
+	app.logEvent (str);
     }
 
-    public void log (String logname, String msg) {
-	app.getLogger (logname).log (msg);
+    public void log (String logname, Object msg) {
+	String str = msg == null ? "null" : msg.toString();
+	app.getLogger (logname).log (str);
     }
 
-    public void debug (String msg) {
+    public void debug (Object msg) {
 	if (app.debug()) {
-	    app.logEvent (msg);
+	    String str = msg == null ? "null" : msg.toString();
+	    app.logEvent (str);
 	}
     }
 
-    public void debug (String logname, String msg) {
+    public void debug (String logname, Object msg) {
 	if (app.debug()) {
-	    app.getLogger (logname).log (msg);
+	    String str = msg == null ? "null" : msg.toString();
+	    app.getLogger (logname).log (str);
 	}
     }