diff --git a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
index 7886f2dee7..847dc04053 100644
--- a/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
+++ b/hadoop-hdfs-project/hadoop-hdfs/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hdfs/server/namenode/NameNode.java
@@ -995,7 +995,9 @@ public void prepareToStopStandbyServices() throws ServiceFailedException {
     @Override
     public void stopStandbyServices() throws IOException {
       // TODO(HA): Are we guaranteed to be the only active here?
-      namesystem.stopStandbyServices();
+      if (namesystem != null) {
+        namesystem.stopStandbyServices();
+      }
     }
     
     @Override