diff --git a/cJSON.c b/cJSON.c
index f16a7bcc..88c2d95b 100644
--- a/cJSON.c
+++ b/cJSON.c
@@ -410,6 +410,11 @@ static cJSON_bool parse_number(cJSON * const item, parse_buffer * const input_bu
 /* don't ask me, but the original cJSON_SetNumberValue returns an integer or double */
 CJSON_PUBLIC(double) cJSON_SetNumberHelper(cJSON *object, double number)
 {
+    if (object == NULL)
+    {
+        return (double)NAN;
+    }
+
     if (number >= INT_MAX)
     {
         object->valueint = INT_MAX;
diff --git a/tests/misc_tests.c b/tests/misc_tests.c
index 7c616479..fe2325e9 100644
--- a/tests/misc_tests.c
+++ b/tests/misc_tests.c
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
+#include <math.h>
 
 #include "unity/examples/unity_config.h"
 #include "unity/src/unity.h"
@@ -478,8 +479,8 @@ static void cjson_functions_should_not_crash_with_null_pointers(void)
     TEST_ASSERT_NULL(cJSON_SetValuestring(corruptedString, "test"));
     TEST_ASSERT_NULL(cJSON_SetValuestring(item, NULL));
     cJSON_Minify(NULL);
-    /* skipped because it is only used via a macro that checks for NULL */
-    /* cJSON_SetNumberHelper(NULL, 0); */
+    /* cJSON_SetNumberHelper should handle NULL gracefully */
+    TEST_ASSERT_TRUE(isnan(cJSON_SetNumberHelper(NULL, 0)));
 
     /* restore corrupted item2 to delete it */
     item2->prev = originalPrev;