diff --git a/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/QueueImpl.java b/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/QueueImpl.java
index 8802c6bc6f..bbc90f56c9 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/QueueImpl.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/QueueImpl.java
@@ -4382,7 +4382,7 @@ public class QueueImpl extends CriticalComponentImpl implements Queue {
       LinkedListIterator<MessageReference> messagesIterator = null;
 
       private LinkedListIterator<PagedReference> getPagingIterator() {
-         if (pagingIterator == null) {
+         if (pagingIterator == null && pageSubscription != null) {
             pagingIterator = pageSubscription.iterator(true);
          }
          return pagingIterator;