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 cfb43008d37..e675d7e2db5 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
@@ -2634,7 +2634,12 @@ public class HMaster extends HRegionServer implements MasterServices {
       LOG.fatal("Master server abort: loaded coprocessors are: " +
           getLoadedCoprocessors());
     }
-    if (t != null) LOG.fatal(msg, t);
+    if (t != null) {
+      LOG.fatal(msg, t);
+    } else {
+      LOG.fatal(msg);
+    }
+
     try {
       stopMaster();
     } catch (IOException e) {