I think I understand; thanks. If seeing "null" there would bother you, then you should find some other way to express the risk without feeling compelled to "fix it" before you know it's a problem. You might prefer a comment, for example. I don't mind. If you and I worked in the same code base, I could tolerate a comment, although I feel fine leaving the null as it is.
Some people hate public fields. I don't. I know that when I notice a public field, I'll think about how to make it non-public, but it doesn't fill me with bile the way it does to others and used to do to me.
They're just conventions. Use the conventions that fit you. This convention fits me.