diff --git a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/client/cli/YarnCLI.java b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/client/cli/YarnCLI.java
index 0747b63773..c1e02d5fd1 100644
--- a/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/client/cli/YarnCLI.java
+++ b/hadoop-yarn-project/hadoop-yarn/hadoop-yarn-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/yarn/client/cli/YarnCLI.java
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ public void setClient(YarnClient client) {
   }
 
   public void stop() {
-    this.client.stop();
+    // this.client may be null when it is called before
+    // invoking `createAndStartYarnClient`
+    if (this.client != null) {
+      this.client.stop();
+    }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file