diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
index c1f10fbf720..619440e86a7 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/master/HMaster.java
@@ -1356,7 +1356,8 @@ public class HMaster extends HRegionServer implements MasterServices, Server {
           LOG.debug("Skipping normalizing " + table + " since its namespace has quota");
           continue;
         }
-        if (table.isSystemTable() || !getTableDescriptors().get(table).isNormalizationEnabled()) {
+        if (table.isSystemTable() || (getTableDescriptors().get(table) != null &&
+          !getTableDescriptors().get(table).isNormalizationEnabled())) {
           LOG.debug("Skipping normalization for table: " + table + ", as it's either system"
             + " table or doesn't have auto normalization turned on");
           continue;