diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/standard/InternalSpelExpressionParser.java b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/standard/InternalSpelExpressionParser.java
index 1eb1226706f..eb86e5bea8d 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/standard/InternalSpelExpressionParser.java
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/src/main/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/standard/InternalSpelExpressionParser.java
@@ -336,7 +336,12 @@ class InternalSpelExpressionParser extends TemplateAwareExpressionParser {
 		if (maybeEatMethodOrProperty(nullSafeNavigation) || maybeEatFunctionOrVar() || maybeEatProjection(nullSafeNavigation) || maybeEatSelection(nullSafeNavigation)) {
 			return pop();
 		}
-		raiseInternalException(t.startpos,SpelMessage.UNEXPECTED_DATA_AFTER_DOT,toString(peekToken()));
+		if (peekToken()==null) {
+			// unexpectedly ran out of data 
+			raiseInternalException(t.startpos,SpelMessage.OOD);
+		} else {
+			raiseInternalException(t.startpos,SpelMessage.UNEXPECTED_DATA_AFTER_DOT,toString(peekToken()));
+		}
 		return null;
 	}
 	
diff --git a/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java b/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java
index 1e38f1450ae..354ccedddeb 100644
--- a/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.expression/src/test/java/org/springframework/expression/spel/EvaluationTests.java
@@ -20,8 +20,8 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
 import junit.framework.Assert;
-import org.junit.Test;
 
+import org.junit.Test;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationContext;
 import org.springframework.expression.EvaluationException;
 import org.springframework.expression.Expression;
@@ -222,6 +222,20 @@ public class EvaluationTests extends ExpressionTestCase {
 				"org.springframework.expression.spel.testresources.Inventor");
 	}
 
+	@Test
+	public void testRogueTrailingDotCausesNPE_SPR6866() {
+		try {
+			new SpelExpressionParser().parseExpression("placeOfBirth.foo.");
+			Assert.fail("Should have failed to parse");
+		} catch (ParseException e) {
+			Assert.assertTrue(e instanceof SpelParseException);
+			SpelParseException spe = (SpelParseException)e;
+			Assert.assertEquals(SpelMessage.OOD,spe.getMessageCode());
+			Assert.assertEquals(16,spe.getPosition());
+		}	
+	}
+	
+
 	// nested properties
 	@Test
 	public void testPropertiesNested01() {