diff --git a/lib/core/common.py b/lib/core/common.py
index fe7ba906b..3f643e992 100644
--- a/lib/core/common.py
+++ b/lib/core/common.py
@@ -1270,9 +1270,11 @@ def sanitizeStr(value):
 
     >>> sanitizeStr('foo\\n\\rbar') == 'foo bar'
     True
+    >>> sanitizeStr(None) == 'None'
+    True
     """
 
-    return getUnicode(value).replace("\n", " ").replace("\r", "") if value else value
+    return getUnicode(value).replace("\n", " ").replace("\r", "")
 
 def getHeader(headers, key):
     """
diff --git a/lib/core/convert.py b/lib/core/convert.py
index ec338eb4b..d48bdfee8 100644
--- a/lib/core/convert.py
+++ b/lib/core/convert.py
@@ -330,6 +330,8 @@ def getUnicode(value, encoding=None, noneToNull=False):
     True
     >>> getUnicode(1) == u'1'
     True
+    >>> getUnicode(None) == 'None'
+    True
     """
 
     if noneToNull and value is None:
diff --git a/lib/core/settings.py b/lib/core/settings.py
index fec293570..a2235b6f5 100644
--- a/lib/core/settings.py
+++ b/lib/core/settings.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ from lib.core.enums import OS
 from thirdparty.six import unichr as _unichr
 
 # sqlmap version (<major>.<minor>.<month>.<monthly commit>)
-VERSION = "1.5.1.7"
+VERSION = "1.5.1.8"
 TYPE = "dev" if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] != '0' else "stable"
 TYPE_COLORS = {"dev": 33, "stable": 90, "pip": 34}
 VERSION_STRING = "sqlmap/%s#%s" % ('.'.join(VERSION.split('.')[:-1]) if VERSION.count('.') > 2 and VERSION.split('.')[-1] == '0' else VERSION, TYPE)