diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/CompactSplitThread.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/CompactSplitThread.java
index ed4bd0da8e7e..f3ff124b143c 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/CompactSplitThread.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/CompactSplitThread.java
@@ -653,7 +653,9 @@ public void rejectedExecution(Runnable runnable, ThreadPoolExecutor pool) {
       if (runnable instanceof CompactionRunner) {
         CompactionRunner runner = (CompactionRunner)runnable;
         LOG.debug("Compaction Rejected: " + runner);
-        runner.store.cancelRequestedCompaction(runner.compaction);
+        if (runner.compaction != null) {
+          runner.store.cancelRequestedCompaction(runner.compaction);
+        }
       }
     }
   }