diff --git a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/AccessControlLists.java b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/AccessControlLists.java
index 3cecfc7f631..4974eeb1c76 100644
--- a/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/AccessControlLists.java
+++ b/hbase-server/src/main/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/security/access/AccessControlLists.java
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ public class AccessControlLists {
    */
   static List<UserPermission> getUserTablePermissions(
       Configuration conf, TableName tableName) throws IOException {
-    return getUserPermissions(conf, tableName.getName());
+    return getUserPermissions(conf, tableName == null ? null : tableName.getName());
   }
 
   static List<UserPermission> getUserNamespacePermissions(