diff --git a/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/ActiveMQServerImpl.java b/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/ActiveMQServerImpl.java
index 097118fea6..3d8b9a9917 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/ActiveMQServerImpl.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/ActiveMQServerImpl.java
@@ -601,7 +601,9 @@ public class ActiveMQServerImpl implements ActiveMQServer {
    }
 
    public void resetNodeManager() throws Exception {
-      nodeManager.stop();
+      if (nodeManager != null) {
+         nodeManager.stop();
+      }
       nodeManager = createNodeManager(configuration.getJournalLocation(), true);
    }