NPE on Members tab with LDAP authentication

I have configured continuum to use LDAP authetication as described here: http://continuum.apache.org/docs/1.1/administrator_guides/security/ldap.html

Everything seems to be working fine except that I can't as admin user go to the "Memebers" section of any project group in my system due to an null pointer exception

Stack trace follows:

java.lang.NullPointerException
at org.apache.maven.continuum.web.action.ProjectGroupAction.populateProjectGroupUsers(ProjectGroupAction.java:550)
at org.apache.maven.continuum.web.action.ProjectGroupAction.members(ProjectGroupAction.java:225)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:39)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:25)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:597)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invokeAction(DefaultActionInvocation.java:358)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invokeActionOnly(DefaultActionInvocation.java:218)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:192)
at org.codehaus.plexus.xwork.interceptor.PlexusReleaseComponentInterceptor.intercept(PlexusReleaseComponentInterceptor.java:69)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.doIntercept(DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.java:175)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:86)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.validator.ValidationInterceptor.doIntercept(ValidationInterceptor.java:115)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:86)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.apache.maven.continuum.web.interceptor.ForceContinuumConfigurationInterceptor.intercept(ForceContinuumConfigurationInterceptor.java:72)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.codehaus.plexus.redback.xwork.interceptor.PolicyEnforcementInterceptor.intercept(PolicyEnforcementInterceptor.java:149)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.codehaus.plexus.redback.xwork.interceptor.SecureActionInterceptor.intercept(SecureActionInterceptor.java:178)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.codehaus.plexus.xwork.interceptor.ExceptionMappingInterceptor.intercept(ExceptionMappingInterceptor.java:58)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.doIntercept(DefaultWorkflowInterceptor.java:175)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:86)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.validator.ValidationInterceptor.doIntercept(ValidationInterceptor.java:115)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.MethodFilterInterceptor.intercept(MethodFilterInterceptor.java:86)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.interceptor.FileUploadInterceptor.intercept(FileUploadInterceptor.java:174)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.interceptor.debugging.DebuggingInterceptor.intercept(DebuggingInterceptor.java:169)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.I18nInterceptor.intercept(I18nInterceptor.java:151)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.AroundInterceptor.intercept(AroundInterceptor.java:31)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.interceptor.ExceptionMappingInterceptor.intercept(ExceptionMappingInterceptor.java:186)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.codehaus.plexus.redback.xwork.interceptor.AutoLoginInterceptor.intercept(AutoLoginInterceptor.java:156)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.codehaus.plexus.redback.xwork.interceptor.ForceAdminUserInterceptor.intercept(ForceAdminUserInterceptor.java:76)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at org.codehaus.plexus.redback.xwork.interceptor.EnvironmentCheckInterceptor.intercept(EnvironmentCheckInterceptor.java:122)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionInvocation.invoke(DefaultActionInvocation.java:190)
at com.opensymphony.xwork.DefaultActionProxy.execute(DefaultActionProxy.java:116)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.DispatcherUtils.serviceAction(DispatcherUtils.java:273)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.FilterDispatcher.doFilter(FilterDispatcher.java:202)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:230)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:198)
at com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter.parsePage(PageFilter.java:118)
at com.opensymphony.module.sitemesh.filter.PageFilter.doFilter(PageFilter.java:52)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:230)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:198)
at com.opensymphony.webwork.dispatcher.ActionContextCleanUp.doFilter(ActionContextCleanUp.java:88)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.internalDoFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:230)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ApplicationFilterChain.doFilter(ApplicationFilterChain.java:198)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardWrapperValve.invoke(StandardWrapperValve.java:288)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invokeInternal(StandardContextValve.java:271)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContextValve.invoke(StandardContextValve.java:202)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:632)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:577)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.WebPipeline.invoke(WebPipeline.java:94)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHostValve.invoke(StandardHostValve.java:206)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:632)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:577)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.invoke(StandardPipeline.java:571)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.invoke(ContainerBase.java:1080)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngineValve.invoke(StandardEngineValve.java:150)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:632)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.doInvoke(StandardPipeline.java:577)
at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardPipeline.invoke(StandardPipeline.java:571)
at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.invoke(ContainerBase.java:1080)
at org.apache.coyote.tomcat5.CoyoteAdapter.service(CoyoteAdapter.java:270)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.DefaultProcessorTask.invokeAdapter(DefaultProcessorTask.java:637)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.DefaultProcessorTask.doProcess(DefaultProcessorTask.java:568)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.DefaultProcessorTask.process(DefaultProcessorTask.java:813)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.DefaultReadTask.executeProcessorTask(DefaultReadTask.java:339)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.ssl.SSLReadTask.process(SSLReadTask.java:440)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.ssl.SSLReadTask.doTask(SSLReadTask.java:228)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.TaskBase.run(TaskBase.java:265)
at com.sun.enterprise.web.connector.grizzly.ssl.SSLWorkerThread.run(SSLWorkerThread.java:106)