diff --git a/instrumentation/aws-sdk/aws-sdk-1.11/library/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/awssdk/v1_11/SqsImpl.java b/instrumentation/aws-sdk/aws-sdk-1.11/library/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/awssdk/v1_11/SqsImpl.java
index a3e2d0e770c8..41c772692d05 100644
--- a/instrumentation/aws-sdk/aws-sdk-1.11/library/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/awssdk/v1_11/SqsImpl.java
+++ b/instrumentation/aws-sdk/aws-sdk-1.11/library/src/main/java/io/opentelemetry/instrumentation/awssdk/v1_11/SqsImpl.java
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static String getMessageAttribute(Request<?> request, String name) {
   }
 
   static String getMessageId(Response<?> response) {
-    if (response.getAwsResponse() instanceof SendMessageResult) {
+    if (response != null && response.getAwsResponse() instanceof SendMessageResult) {
       return ((SendMessageResult) response.getAwsResponse()).getMessageId();
     }
     return null;