diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
index 995bff17724e..b0862a090760 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
@@ -1412,7 +1412,7 @@ private boolean isRegionOnline(RegionInfo ri) {
     RetryCounter rc = null;
     while (!isStopped()) {
       RegionState rs = this.assignmentManager.getRegionStates().getRegionState(ri);
-      if (rs.isOpened()) {
+      if (rs != null && rs.isOpened()) {
         if (this.getServerManager().isServerOnline(rs.getServerName())) {
           return true;
         }