diff --git a/src/PHPMailer.php b/src/PHPMailer.php
index 96e5e96d..5109ef68 100644
--- a/src/PHPMailer.php
+++ b/src/PHPMailer.php
@@ -1571,7 +1571,10 @@ class PHPMailer
 
             //Validate From, Sender, and ConfirmReadingTo addresses
             foreach (['From', 'Sender', 'ConfirmReadingTo'] as $address_kind) {
-                $this->{$address_kind} = trim($this->{$address_kind} ?? '');
+                if($this->{$address_kind} === null) {
+                    $this->{$address_kind} = '';
+                }
+                $this->{$address_kind} = trim($this->{$address_kind});
                 if (empty($this->{$address_kind})) {
                     continue;
                 }