Let's take in example the following java-bean, which VIOLATES the java beans property names notation public class GenericItemContainer { protected boolean isGroup = false; public void setIsGroup(boolean isGroup) { this.isGroup = isGroup; } public boolean isGroup() { return isGroup; } } For such java-bean the class org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.java5.\AnnotatedTypeInfo performs the following: protected boolean isAttribute(PropertyDescriptor desc) { return desc.getReadMethod().isAnnotationPresent(XmlAttribute.class); } and throws NPE, because the desc.getReadMethod() is NULL: org.codehaus.xfire.XFireRuntimeException: Error initializing parameters for method public java.lang.String uk.ltd.singles.datingengine.remoting.test.TestServiceImpl.echo(java.util.List,java.util.List,java.util.List,java.util.List,java.util.Set,java.lang.Integer,int,java.lang.Boolean,boolean): Couldn't create TypeInfo.. Nested exception is java.lang.NullPointerException: null java.lang.NullPointerException at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.java5.AnnotatedTypeInfo.isAttribute(AnnotatedTypeInfo.java:22) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.basic.BeanTypeInfo.initialize(BeanTypeInfo.java:52) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.java5.AnnotatedTypeInfo.<init>(AnnotatedTypeInfo.java:17) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.java5.AnnotatedType.<init>(AnnotatedType.java:15) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.java5.Java5TypeCreator.createDefaultType(Java5TypeCreator.java:89) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.AbstractTypeCreator.createTypeForClass(AbstractTypeCreator.java:82) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.AbstractTypeCreator.createType(AbstractTypeCreator.java:238) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.AbstractTypeCreator.createCollectionQName(AbstractTypeCreator.java:174) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.AbstractTypeCreator.createCollectionType(AbstractTypeCreator.java:124) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.java5.Java5TypeCreator.createCollectionType(Java5TypeCreator.java:83) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.AbstractTypeCreator.createTypeForClass(AbstractTypeCreator.java:71) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.type.AbstractTypeCreator.createType(AbstractTypeCreator.java:207) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.AegisBindingProvider.getParameterType(AegisBindingProvider.java:184) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.AegisBindingProvider.initializeMessage(AegisBindingProvider.java:128) at org.codehaus.xfire.aegis.AegisBindingProvider.initialize(AegisBindingProvider.java:96) at org.codehaus.xfire.service.binding.ObjectServiceFactory.create(ObjectServiceFactory.java:243) at org.codehaus.xfire.annotations.AnnotationServiceFactory.create(AnnotationServiceFactory.java:117) at org.codehaus.xfire.service.binding.ObjectServiceFactory.create(ObjectServiceFactory.java:150) at org.codehaus.xfire.spring.remoting.Jsr181HandlerMapping.initApplicationContext(Jsr181HandlerMapping.java:66) I guess, it would be better to throw another exception with the corresponding message (for example, "no read method defind in bean bla-bla-bla")