diff --git a/pkg/sql/catalog/tabledesc/table.go b/pkg/sql/catalog/tabledesc/table.go
index fb871851b11e..e5c5356882d6 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/catalog/tabledesc/table.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/catalog/tabledesc/table.go
@@ -285,6 +285,10 @@ func EvalShardBucketCount(
 		if paramVal != nil {
 			shardBuckets = paramVal
 		}
+		// Check if shardBuckets is NULL
+		if shardBuckets == tree.DNull {
+			return 0, pgerror.Newf(pgcode.InvalidParameterValue, `"BUCKET_COUNT" cannot be NULL`)
+		}
 		typedExpr, err := schemaexpr.SanitizeVarFreeExpr(
 			ctx, shardBuckets, types.Int, "BUCKET_COUNT", semaCtx, volatility.Volatile, false, /*allowAssignmentCast*/
 		)
diff --git a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/create_table b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/create_table
index 9d8971070f1a..1d5c4489c7df 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/create_table
+++ b/pkg/sql/logictest/testdata/logic_test/create_table
@@ -739,6 +739,10 @@ CREATE TABLE t_bad_param (
   a INT PRIMARY KEY USING HASH WITH BUCKET_COUNT = 5 WITH (bucket_count=5)
 );
 
+statement error pq: "BUCKET_COUNT" cannot be NULL
+CREATE TABLE t_bad_param (
+  a INT PRIMARY KEY USING HASH WITH BUCKET_COUNT = NULL
+);
 
 statement error pq: invalid storage param "s2_max_level" on primary key
 CREATE TABLE t_bad_param (