diff --git a/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/NanoTDF.java b/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/NanoTDF.java
index a4d5f359..f893762a 100644
--- a/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/NanoTDF.java
+++ b/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/NanoTDF.java
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ public class NanoTDF {
     private final CollectionStore collectionStore;
 
     public NanoTDF() {
-        this(null);
+        this(new CollectionStore.NoOpCollectionStore());
     }
 
     public NanoTDF(boolean collectionStoreEnabled) {
diff --git a/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/nanotdf/CollectionStore.java b/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/nanotdf/CollectionStore.java
index fd87a37e..69a0be8c 100644
--- a/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/nanotdf/CollectionStore.java
+++ b/sdk/src/main/java/io/opentdf/platform/sdk/nanotdf/CollectionStore.java
@@ -3,7 +3,19 @@
 import io.opentdf.platform.sdk.NanoTDF;
 
 public interface CollectionStore {
-    public static final NanoTDF.CollectionKey NO_PRIVATE_KEY = new NanoTDF.CollectionKey(null);
+    NanoTDF.CollectionKey NO_PRIVATE_KEY = new NanoTDF.CollectionKey(null);
     void store(Header header, NanoTDF.CollectionKey key);
     NanoTDF.CollectionKey getKey(Header header);
+
+    class NoOpCollectionStore implements CollectionStore {
+        public NoOpCollectionStore() {}
+
+        @Override
+        public void store(Header header, NanoTDF.CollectionKey key) {}
+
+        @Override
+        public NanoTDF.CollectionKey getKey(Header header) {
+            return NO_PRIVATE_KEY;
+        }
+    }
 }