diff --git a/lib/xdrgen/generators/java.rb b/lib/xdrgen/generators/java.rb
index 476c1d754..2fea98f3c 100644
--- a/lib/xdrgen/generators/java.rb
+++ b/lib/xdrgen/generators/java.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@
 module Xdrgen
   module Generators
 
+    MAX_SIZE = (2 ** 31) - 1
+
     class Java < Xdrgen::Generators::Base
 
       def generate
@@ -807,7 +809,7 @@ def decode_type(decl)
         when AST::Typespecs::Bool ;
           "stream.readInt() == 1 ? true : false"
         when AST::Typespecs::String ;
-          "XdrString.decode(stream, #{decl.size})"
+          "XdrString.decode(stream, #{decl.size || MAX_SIZE})"
         when AST::Typespecs::Simple ;
           "#{name decl.type.resolved_type}.decode(stream)"
         when AST::Concerns::NestedDefinition ;
diff --git a/spec/output/generator_spec_java/struct.x/MyStruct.java b/spec/output/generator_spec_java/struct.x/MyStruct.java
index 69cde5e57..e55cf60fb 100644
--- a/spec/output/generator_spec_java/struct.x/MyStruct.java
+++ b/spec/output/generator_spec_java/struct.x/MyStruct.java
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ public static MyStruct decode(XdrDataInputStream stream) throws IOException {
     int someOpaquesize = 10;
     decodedMyStruct.someOpaque = new byte[someOpaquesize];
     stream.read(decodedMyStruct.someOpaque, 0, someOpaquesize);
-    decodedMyStruct.someString = XdrString.decode(stream, );
+    decodedMyStruct.someString = XdrString.decode(stream, 2147483647);
     decodedMyStruct.maxString = XdrString.decode(stream, 100);
     return decodedMyStruct;
   }
diff --git a/spec/output/generator_spec_java/test.x/Str2.java b/spec/output/generator_spec_java/test.x/Str2.java
index a3a3a6658..182bf8d62 100644
--- a/spec/output/generator_spec_java/test.x/Str2.java
+++ b/spec/output/generator_spec_java/test.x/Str2.java
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ public void encode(XdrDataOutputStream stream) throws IOException {
   }
   public static Str2 decode(XdrDataInputStream stream) throws IOException {
     Str2 decodedStr2 = new Str2();
-    decodedStr2.str2 = XdrString.decode(stream, );
+    decodedStr2.str2 = XdrString.decode(stream, 2147483647);
     return decodedStr2;
   }