diff --git a/Source/GSString.m b/Source/GSString.m
index c7c185e57..b907905af 100644
--- a/Source/GSString.m
+++ b/Source/GSString.m
@@ -3662,9 +3662,7 @@ - (NSComparisonResult) compare: (NSString*)aString
     }
   GS_RANGE_CHECK(aRange, _count);
   if (aString == nil)
-    [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
-		format: @"[%@ -%@] nil string argument",
-      NSStringFromClass([self class]), NSStringFromSelector(_cmd)];
+    return NSOrderedDescending;
   if (GSObjCIsInstance(aString) == NO)
     [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
 		format: @"[%@ -%@] not a string argument",
@@ -4041,9 +4039,7 @@ - (NSComparisonResult) compare: (NSString*)aString
     }
   GS_RANGE_CHECK(aRange, _count);
   if (aString == nil)
-    [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
-		format: @"[%@ -%@] nil string argument",
-      NSStringFromClass([self class]), NSStringFromSelector(_cmd)];
+    return NSOrderedDescending;
   if (GSObjCIsInstance(aString) == NO)
     [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
 		format: @"[%@ -%@] not a string argument",
@@ -4497,9 +4493,7 @@ - (NSComparisonResult) compare: (NSString*)aString
     }
   GS_RANGE_CHECK(aRange, _count);
   if (aString == nil)
-    [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
-		format: @"[%@ -%@] nil string argument",
-      NSStringFromClass([self class]), NSStringFromSelector(_cmd)];
+    return NSOrderedDescending;
   if (GSObjCIsInstance(aString) == NO)
     [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
 		format: @"[%@ -%@] not a string argument",
diff --git a/Source/NSDate.m b/Source/NSDate.m
index 0a9e38454..1a3ab4f23 100644
--- a/Source/NSDate.m
+++ b/Source/NSDate.m
@@ -396,8 +396,7 @@ - (NSComparisonResult) compare: (NSDate*)otherDate
     }
   if (unlikely(otherDate == nil))
     {
-      [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
-		  format: @"nil argument for compare:"];
+      return NSOrderedSame;
     }
 
   if (IS_CONCRETE_CLASS(otherDate))
diff --git a/Source/NSString.m b/Source/NSString.m
index 5d06cc0ed..954099028 100644
--- a/Source/NSString.m
+++ b/Source/NSString.m
@@ -5914,8 +5914,7 @@ - (NSComparisonResult) compare: (NSString *)string
   GS_RANGE_CHECK(compareRange, [self length]);
   if (nil == string)
     {
-      [NSException raise: NSInvalidArgumentException
-		  format: @"compare with nil"];
+      return NSOrderedDescending;
     }
 
   /* A nil locale should trigger POSIX collation (i.e. 'A'-'Z' sort