diff --git a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/NodeReplacementAllocationDecider.java b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/NodeReplacementAllocationDecider.java
index dbaecd67cf429..485e0656c8163 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/NodeReplacementAllocationDecider.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/cluster/routing/allocation/decider/NodeReplacementAllocationDecider.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.ShardRouting;
 import org.elasticsearch.cluster.routing.allocation.RoutingAllocation;
 
-import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Optional;
 
 public class NodeReplacementAllocationDecider extends AllocationDecider {
@@ -185,8 +184,8 @@ private static boolean isReplacementSource(RoutingAllocation allocation, String
         if (nodeId == null || replacementOngoing(allocation) == false) {
             return false;
         }
-        final Map<String, SingleNodeShutdownMetadata> nodeShutdowns = allocation.nodeShutdowns();
-        return nodeShutdowns.containsKey(nodeId) && nodeShutdowns.get(nodeId).getType().equals(SingleNodeShutdownMetadata.Type.REPLACE);
+        final SingleNodeShutdownMetadata shutdown = allocation.nodeShutdowns().get(nodeId);
+        return shutdown != null && shutdown.getType().equals(SingleNodeShutdownMetadata.Type.REPLACE);
     }
 
     /**