diff --git a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/command/NetworkBridgeFilter.java b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/command/NetworkBridgeFilter.java
index 7598d36ee6..8854324ca8 100644
--- a/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/command/NetworkBridgeFilter.java
+++ b/activemq-core/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/command/NetworkBridgeFilter.java
@@ -58,7 +58,9 @@ public class NetworkBridgeFilter implements DataStructure, BooleanExpression {
 
     public boolean matches(MessageEvaluationContext message) throws JMSException{
         try{
-            return matchesForwardingFilter(message.getMessage());
+            //for Queues - the message can be acknowledged and dropped whilst still
+            //in the dispatch loop
+            return message.getMessage() != null &&  matchesForwardingFilter(message.getMessage());
         }catch(IOException e){
             throw JMSExceptionSupport.create(e);
         }