diff --git a/android/cpp/jni.cpp b/android/cpp/jni.cpp
index 37ed35f77..497091832 100644
--- a/android/cpp/jni.cpp
+++ b/android/cpp/jni.cpp
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ jfieldID lon_lat_zoom_lat_id = nullptr;
 jfieldID lon_lat_zoom_zoom_id = nullptr;
 
 jclass runtime_exception_class = nullptr;
+jclass null_pointer_exception_class = nullptr;
 
 jmethodID list_to_array_id = nullptr;
 
@@ -61,16 +62,28 @@ bool throw_error(JNIEnv* env, const char* msg) {
 
 std::string std_string_from_jstring(JNIEnv* env, jstring jstr) {
     std::string str;
+
+    if (jstr == nullptr) {
+        if (env->ThrowNew(null_pointer_exception_class, "String cannot be null.") < 0) {
+            env->ExceptionDescribe();
+            return str;
+        }
+
+        return str;
+    }
+
     jsize len = env->GetStringLength(jstr);
     if (len < 0) {
         env->ExceptionDescribe();
         return str;
     }
+
     const jchar* chars = env->GetStringChars(jstr, nullptr);
     if (chars == nullptr) {
         env->ExceptionDescribe();
         return str;
     }
+
     std::u16string ustr(reinterpret_cast<const char16_t*>(chars), len);
     env->ReleaseStringChars(jstr, chars);
     chars = nullptr;
@@ -93,6 +106,15 @@ jstring std_string_to_jstring(JNIEnv* env, std::string str) {
 std::vector<std::string> std_vector_string_from_jobject(JNIEnv* env, jobject jlist) {
     std::vector<std::string> vector;
 
+    if (jlist == nullptr) {
+        if (env->ThrowNew(null_pointer_exception_class, "List cannot be null.") < 0) {
+            env->ExceptionDescribe();
+            return vector;
+        }
+
+        return vector;
+    }
+
     jobjectArray array = reinterpret_cast<jobjectArray>(env->CallObjectMethod(jlist, list_to_array_id));
     if (env->ExceptionCheck() || (array == nullptr)) {
         env->ExceptionDescribe();
@@ -757,6 +779,12 @@ extern "C" JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM *vm, void *reserved) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
+    null_pointer_exception_class = env->FindClass("java/lang/NullPointerException");
+    if (null_pointer_exception_class == nullptr) {
+        env->ExceptionDescribe();
+        return JNI_ERR;
+    }
+
     jclass list_class = env->FindClass("java/util/List");
     if (list_class == nullptr) {
         env->ExceptionDescribe();
@@ -877,12 +905,22 @@ extern "C" JNIEXPORT jint JNICALL JNI_OnLoad(JavaVM *vm, void *reserved) {
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
+    null_pointer_exception_class = reinterpret_cast<jclass>(env->NewGlobalRef(null_pointer_exception_class));
+    if (runtime_exception_class == nullptr) {
+        env->ExceptionDescribe();
+        env->DeleteGlobalRef(lon_lat_class);
+        env->DeleteGlobalRef(lon_lat_zoom_class);
+        env->DeleteGlobalRef(runtime_exception_class);
+        return JNI_ERR;
+    }
+
     array_list_class = reinterpret_cast<jclass>(env->NewGlobalRef(array_list_class));
     if (array_list_class == nullptr) {
         env->ExceptionDescribe();
         env->DeleteGlobalRef(lon_lat_class);
         env->DeleteGlobalRef(lon_lat_zoom_class);
         env->DeleteGlobalRef(runtime_exception_class);
+        env->DeleteGlobalRef(null_pointer_exception_class);
         return JNI_ERR;
     }
 
@@ -917,6 +955,9 @@ extern "C" JNIEXPORT void JNICALL JNI_OnUnload(JavaVM *vm, void *reserved) {
     env->DeleteGlobalRef(runtime_exception_class);
     runtime_exception_class = nullptr;
 
+    env->DeleteGlobalRef(null_pointer_exception_class);
+    null_pointer_exception_class = nullptr;
+
     list_to_array_id = nullptr;
 
     env->DeleteGlobalRef(array_list_class);
diff --git a/android/java/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml b/android/java/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml
index e4b11e3ad..bdfaaec15 100644
--- a/android/java/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml
+++ b/android/java/app/src/main/res/layout/activity_main.xml
@@ -1,11 +1,13 @@
 <merge xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
-       xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
-       tools:context="${packageName}.${activityClass}" >
+    xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools"
+    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
+    tools:context="${packageName}.${activityClass}">
 
     <view
         android:layout_width="fill_parent"
         android:layout_height="fill_parent"
         class="com.mapbox.mapboxgl.lib.MapView"
-        android:id="@+id/map" />
+        android:id="@+id/map"
+        app:styleUrl="asset://styles/styles/bright-v6.json"/>
 
 </merge>
diff --git a/android/java/lib/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxgl/lib/MapView.java b/android/java/lib/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxgl/lib/MapView.java
index 530d563dc..d86a0df74 100644
--- a/android/java/lib/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxgl/lib/MapView.java
+++ b/android/java/lib/src/main/java/com/mapbox/mapboxgl/lib/MapView.java
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public class MapView extends SurfaceView {
     private boolean mZoomEnabled = true;
     private boolean mScrollEnabled = true;
     private boolean mRotateEnabled = true;
-    private String mStyleUrl = "asset://styles/styles/bright-v6.json";
+    private String mStyleUrl;
 
     //
     // Constructors
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ public class MapView extends SurfaceView {
 
         // Create the NativeMapView
         mNativeMapView = new NativeMapView(this, cachePath, dataPath, apkPath);
-        mNativeMapView.setStyleUrl(mStyleUrl);
 
         // Load the attributes
         TypedArray typedArray = context.obtainStyledAttributes(attrs,
@@ -164,8 +163,6 @@ public class MapView extends SurfaceView {
                     R.styleable.MapView_debugActive, false));
             setStyleUrl(typedArray.getString(
                     R.styleable.MapView_styleUrl));
-            setAccessToken(typedArray.getString(
-                    R.styleable.MapView_accessToken));
         } finally {
             typedArray.recycle();
         }
diff --git a/android/java/lib/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml b/android/java/lib/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
index 191e7d000..770b70317 100644
--- a/android/java/lib/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
+++ b/android/java/lib/src/main/res/values/attrs.xml
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@
     <attr name="rotateEnabled" format="boolean" />
     <attr name="debugActive" format="boolean" />
     <attr name="styleUrl" format="string" />
-    <attr name="accessToken" format="string" />
     
     <declare-styleable name="MapView">
         <attr name="centerLongitude" />
@@ -20,6 +19,5 @@
         <attr name="rotateEnabled" />
         <attr name="debugActive" />
         <attr name="styleUrl" />
-        <attr name="accessToken" />
     </declare-styleable>
 </resources>
diff --git a/include/mbgl/android/jni.hpp b/include/mbgl/android/jni.hpp
index 28b9b8917..2dbdf2ebe 100644
--- a/include/mbgl/android/jni.hpp
+++ b/include/mbgl/android/jni.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ extern jfieldID lon_lat_zoom_lat_id;
 extern jfieldID lon_lat_zoom_zoom_id;
 
 extern jclass runtime_exception_class;
+extern jclass null_pointer_exception_class;;
 
 extern jmethodID list_to_array_id;