FULL PRODUCT VERSION :
javac 1.8.0_131
and
javac 1.8.0_102

ADDITIONAL OS VERSION INFORMATION :
Linux 3.13.0-116-generic #163-Ubuntu SMP Fri Mar 31 14:13:22 UTC 2017 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM :
Complie the class Bugcode.java with javac, and compiler dies with NullPointerException.
Bugcode.java is pasted on test case field.

ADDITIONAL REGRESSION INFORMATION:
Tested on Java

STEPS TO FOLLOW TO REPRODUCE THE PROBLEM :
run 'javac Bugcode.java'
Reproduced on javac 1.8.0_131 and javac 1.8.0_102

EXPECTED VERSUS ACTUAL BEHAVIOR :
EXPECTED -
Compile succeeds without exception.

ERROR MESSAGES/STACK TRACES THAT OCCUR :
$ LANG=EN_US ./javac ~/Bugcode.java
An exception has occurred in the compiler (1.8.0_131). Please file a bug against the Java compiler via the Java bug reporting page (http://bugreport.java.com) after checking the Bug Database (http://bugs.java.com) for duplicates. Include your program and the following diagnostic in your report. Thank you.
java.lang.AssertionError: java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.sun.tools.javac.code.Symbol$VarSymbol.getConstValue(Symbol.java:1284)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitVarDef(Attr.java:1058)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCVariableDecl.accept(JCTree.java:852)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStat(Attr.java:645)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribClassBody(Attr.java:4364)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribClass(Attr.java:4272)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribClass(Attr.java:4201)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attrib(Attr.java:4176)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.attribute(JavaCompiler.java:1248)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile2(JavaCompiler.java:901)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.JavaCompiler.compile(JavaCompiler.java:860)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:523)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:381)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:370)
at com.sun.tools.javac.main.Main.compile(Main.java:361)
at com.sun.tools.javac.Main.compile(Main.java:56)
at com.sun.tools.javac.Main.main(Main.java:42)
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitVarDef(Attr.java:1048)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCVariableDecl.accept(JCTree.java:852)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStat(Attr.java:645)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribStats(Attr.java:661)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitLambda(Attr.java:2316)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCLambda.accept(JCTree.java:1624)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.DeferredAttr.attribSpeculative(DeferredAttr.java:387)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.DeferredAttr$2.complete(DeferredAttr.java:280)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.DeferredAttr$DeferredType.check(DeferredAttr.java:246)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.DeferredAttr$DeferredType.check(DeferredAttr.java:233)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$MethodResultInfo.check(Resolve.java:1008)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$4.checkArg(Resolve.java:835)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$AbstractMethodCheck.argumentsAcceptable(Resolve.java:735)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$4.argumentsAcceptable(Resolve.java:844)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Infer.instantiateMethod(Infer.java:162)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.rawInstantiate(Resolve.java:567)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.selectBest(Resolve.java:1446)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.findMethodInScope(Resolve.java:1633)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.findMethod(Resolve.java:1704)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.findMethod(Resolve.java:1677)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$9.doLookup(Resolve.java:2436)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve$BasicLookupHelper.lookup(Resolve.java:3097)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.lookupMethod(Resolve.java:3348)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.resolveQualifiedMethod(Resolve.java:2433)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Resolve.resolveQualifiedMethod(Resolve.java:2427)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.selectSym(Attr.java:3396)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitSelect(Attr.java:3278)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCFieldAccess.accept(JCTree.java:1897)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitApply(Attr.java:1825)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCMethodInvocation.accept(JCTree.java:1465)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitSelect(Attr.java:3250)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCFieldAccess.accept(JCTree.java:1897)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitApply(Attr.java:1825)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCMethodInvocation.accept(JCTree.java:1465)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitSelect(Attr.java:3250)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCFieldAccess.accept(JCTree.java:1897)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitApply(Attr.java:1825)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCMethodInvocation.accept(JCTree.java:1465)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribExpr(Attr.java:625)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.visitBinary(Attr.java:3057)
at com.sun.tools.javac.tree.JCTree$JCBinary.accept(JCTree.java:1785)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribTree(Attr.java:576)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribExpr(Attr.java:618)
at com.sun.tools.javac.comp.Attr.attribLazyConstantValue(Attr.java:760)
at com.sun.tools.javac.code.Symbol$VarSymbol$2.call(Symbol.java:1250)
at com.sun.tools.javac.code.Symbol$VarSymbol.getConstValue(Symbol.java:1282)
... 17 more

REPRODUCIBILITY :
This bug can be reproduced always.

---------- BEGIN SOURCE ----------
import java.util.List;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.stream.Collectors;

public class Bugcode {
    private static final List<String> LIST_OF_STRING = new ArrayList();
    private static final String JAVA8_131KILLER =
            "this string is necessary" +
        LIST_OF_STRING.stream().map((String s) -> s).collect(Collectors.toList()).toString();

    public String avoidDeadcodeElimination() {
        return JAVA8_131KILLER;
    }
}

---------- END SOURCE ----------

CUSTOMER SUBMITTED WORKAROUND :
Substitute stream with Lists.transform from com.google.common.collect libraries for meanwhile.