diff --git a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/jdbc/JdbcUtils.scala b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/jdbc/JdbcUtils.scala
index e32db73bd6c6a..41edb6511c2ce 100644
--- a/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/jdbc/JdbcUtils.scala
+++ b/sql/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/execution/datasources/jdbc/JdbcUtils.scala
@@ -607,7 +607,7 @@ object JdbcUtils extends Logging {
     } catch {
       case e: SQLException =>
         val cause = e.getNextException
-        if (e.getCause != cause) {
+        if (cause != null && e.getCause != cause) {
           if (e.getCause == null) {
             e.initCause(cause)
           } else {