diff --git a/src/controller/java/src/chip/devicecontroller/ChipDeviceController.java b/src/controller/java/src/chip/devicecontroller/ChipDeviceController.java
index c24d0dd298dd4f..62ed67132871d1 100644
--- a/src/controller/java/src/chip/devicecontroller/ChipDeviceController.java
+++ b/src/controller/java/src/chip/devicecontroller/ChipDeviceController.java
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ public static void loadJni() {
    * ID
    */
   public ChipDeviceController(ControllerParams params) {
+    if (params == null) {
+      throw new NullPointerException("params cannot be null");
+    }
     deviceControllerPtr = newDeviceController(params);
   }