diff --git a/release-notes/VERSION b/release-notes/VERSION
index 3f570832ff..fededd6f9b 100644
--- a/release-notes/VERSION
+++ b/release-notes/VERSION
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Versions: 3.x (for earlier see VERSION-2.x)
 #5270: Remove `ObjectMapper.setSerializationInclusion()` from 3.0 (deprecate in 2.20)
 #5272: Replace `ObjectMapper.getRegisteredModuleIds()` (2.x) with
   `ObjectMapper.getRegisteredModules()` (3.0)
+#5287: Change JsonNode.stringValue() of NullNode to return null, not fail (3.0)
 
 3.0.0-rc8 (13-Aug-2025)
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/JsonNode.java b/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/JsonNode.java
index 46ef52ae58..6ad0613ab4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/JsonNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/JsonNode.java
@@ -545,36 +545,41 @@ public Optional<JsonNode> asOptional() {
 
     /**
      * Method that will try to access value of this node as a Java {@code String}
-     * which works if (and only if) node contains JSON String value:
+     * which works if (and only if) node contains JSON String or {@code null} value:
      * if not, a {@link JsonNodeException} will be thrown.
+     * In case of JSON {@code null}, Java {@code null} is returned.
      *<p>
-     * NOTE: for more lenient conversions, use {@link #asString()}
+     * NOTE: for more conversions, use {@link #asString()} instead.
      *<p>
-     * NOTE: in Jackson 2.x, was {@code textValue()}.
+     * NOTE: in Jackson 2.x, this method was named {@code textValue()}.
      *
-     * @return {@code String} value this node represents (if JSON String)
+     * @return {@code String} value this node represents (if JSON String),
+     *   {@code null} for JSON {@code null}
      *
-     * @throws JsonNodeException if node value is not a JSON String value
+     * @throws JsonNodeException if node value is not a JSON String or Null value
      */
     public abstract String stringValue();
 
     /**
      * Method similar to {@link #stringValue()}, but that will return specified
-     * {@code defaultValue} if this node does not contain a JSON String.
+     * {@code defaultValue} if this node does not contain a JSON String. This
+     * default value case includes JSON {@code null}.
      *
      * @param defaultValue Value to return if this node does not contain a JSON String.
      *
      * @return Java {@code String} value this node represents (if JSON String);
-     *   {@code defaultValue} otherwise
+     *   {@code defaultValue} otherwise -- only returns {@code null} if {@code defaultValue}
+     *   is {@code null}
      */
     public abstract String stringValue(String defaultValue);
 
     /**
      * Method similar to {@link #stringValue()}, but that will return
-     * {@code Optional.empty()} if this node does not contain a JSON String.
+     * {@code Optional.empty()} if this node does not contain a JSON String
+     * (NOTE: JSON null is not considered a String here)
      *
      * @return {@code Optional<String>} value (if node represents JSON String);
-     *   {@code Optional.empty()} otherwise
+     *   {@code Optional.empty()} otherwise (including for JSON null)
      */
     public abstract Optional<String> stringValueOpt();
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/NullNode.java b/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/NullNode.java
index 19676913b1..c18c4ce470 100644
--- a/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/NullNode.java
+++ b/src/main/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/NullNode.java
@@ -59,6 +59,19 @@ protected String _asString() {
         return "";
     }
 
+    // Explicit overrides for all overloads for documentation purposes
+
+    @Override
+    public String stringValue() { return null; }
+
+    @Override
+    public String stringValue(String defaultValue) { return defaultValue; }
+
+    @Override
+    public Optional<String> stringValueOpt() {
+        return Optional.empty();
+    }
+
     /*
     /**********************************************************************
     /* Overridden JsonNode methods, scalar access, numeric
diff --git a/src/test/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/JsonNodeStringValueTest.java b/src/test/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/JsonNodeStringValueTest.java
index 24e04803af..7d6e40f4ce 100644
--- a/src/test/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/JsonNodeStringValueTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/tools/jackson/databind/node/JsonNodeStringValueTest.java
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 import tools.jackson.databind.testutil.DatabindTestUtil;
 import tools.jackson.databind.util.RawValue;
 
-import static org.assertj.core.api.Assertions.assertThat;
+import static org.assertj.core.api.AssertionsForClassTypes.assertThat;
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
 
 /**
@@ -65,10 +65,20 @@ public void stringValueFromStructural()
     @Test
     public void stringValueFromNonNumberMisc()
     {
-        _assertStringValueFailForNonString(NODES.nullNode());
         _assertStringValueFailForNonString(NODES.missingNode());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void stringValueFromNullNode()
+    {
+        JsonNode node = NODES.nullNode();
+        assertEquals(null, node.stringValue());
+
+        // But also check defaulting
+        assertEquals("foo", node.stringValue("foo"));
+        assertFalse(node.stringValueOpt().isPresent());
+    }
+
     // // // asString() tests
 
     @Test