diff --git a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/interactive/viewerpreferences/PDViewerPreferences.java b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/interactive/viewerpreferences/PDViewerPreferences.java
index 452abbaccab..9dcd415878e 100644
--- a/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/interactive/viewerpreferences/PDViewerPreferences.java
+++ b/pdfbox/src/main/java/org/apache/pdfbox/pdmodel/interactive/viewerpreferences/PDViewerPreferences.java
@@ -130,6 +130,14 @@ public enum PRINT_SCALING
 
     private final COSDictionary prefs;
 
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     */
+    public PDViewerPreferences()
+    {
+        this.prefs = new COSDictionary();
+    }
+
     /**
      * Constructor that is used for a preexisting dictionary.
      *