diff --git a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/AsyncProcess.java b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/AsyncProcess.java
index 10d4f38a3bb..097206c2058 100644
--- a/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/AsyncProcess.java
+++ b/hbase-client/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/AsyncProcess.java
@@ -789,7 +789,7 @@ class AsyncProcess {
 
       @Override
       public void run() {
-        MultiResponse res;
+        MultiResponse res = null;
         PayloadCarryingServerCallable callable = currentCallable;
         try {
           // setup the callable based on the actions, if we don't have one already from the request
@@ -828,7 +828,7 @@ class AsyncProcess {
           throw new RuntimeException(t);
         } finally {
           decTaskCounters(multiAction.getRegions(), server);
-          if (callsInProgress != null && callable != null) {
+          if (callsInProgress != null && callable != null && res != null) {
             callsInProgress.remove(callable);
           }
         }