Fixed #1277 - NPE when attempting to directly call the JsonPath or XP…

…ath handlebars helpers

src/main/java/com/github/tomakehurst/wiremock/extension/responsetemplating/helpers/HandlebarsHelper.java

@@ -77,6 +77,6 @@ private String formatMessage(String message) {
     }
 
     protected static RenderCache getRenderCache(Options options) {
-        return options.get("renderCache", null);
+        return options.get("renderCache", new RenderCache());
     }
 }

src/test/java/com/github/tomakehurst/wiremock/extension/responsetemplating/helpers/HandlebarsJsonPathHelperTest.java

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
  */
 package com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.extension.responsetemplating.helpers;
 
+import com.github.jknack.handlebars.Context;
+import com.github.jknack.handlebars.Options;
 import com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.common.ConsoleNotifier;
 import com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.common.FileSource;
 import com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.common.LocalNotifier;
@@ -27,6 +29,7 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import static com.github.tomakehurst.wiremock.client.WireMock.aResponse;
@@ -266,4 +269,16 @@ public void returnsCorrectResultWhenDifferentExpressionsUsedOnSameDocument() thr
         assertThat(two, is(2));
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void helperCanBeCalledDirectlyWithoutSupplyingRenderCache() throws Exception {
+        Context context = Context.newBuilder(null).build();
+        Options options = new Options(null, null, null, context, null, null,
+                new Object[] { "$.stuff" }, null, new ArrayList<String>(0));
+
+        Object result = helper.apply("{\"stuff\":1}", options);
+
+        assertThat(result, instanceOf(Integer.class));
+        assertThat((Integer) result, is(1));
+    }
+
 }