--- a/jvmci/jdk.vm.ci.hotspot/src/jdk/vm/ci/hotspot/HotSpotVMConfigAccess.java	Fri Feb 03 08:17:35 2017 +0100
+++ b/jvmci/jdk.vm.ci.hotspot/src/jdk/vm/ci/hotspot/HotSpotVMConfigAccess.java	Fri Feb 03 21:08:05 2017 +0100
@@ -281,7 +281,7 @@
         if (entry == null) {
             // Fall back to VM call
             value = store.compilerToVm.getFlagValue(name);
-            if (value == null) {
+            if (value == store.compilerToVm) {
                 if (notPresent != null) {
                     return notPresent;
                 }
@@ -315,6 +315,10 @@
             } else if (value instanceof Long) {
                 return (int) (long) value;
             }
+        } else if (toType == String.class) {
+            if (value == null || value instanceof String) {
+                return value;
+            }
         } else if (toType == Long.class) {
             return value;
         }