diff --git a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/handler/component/DistributedDebugComponentTest.java b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/handler/component/DistributedDebugComponentTest.java
index 2f97fd2b9d1..3484711f2ed 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/handler/component/DistributedDebugComponentTest.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/test/org/apache/solr/handler/component/DistributedDebugComponentTest.java
@@ -396,6 +396,7 @@ public class DistributedDebugComponentTest extends SolrJettyTestBase {
     assertEquals("Unexpected response size for shard", 1, badShardTrack.size());
     Entry<String, String> exception = badShardTrack.iterator().next();
     assertEquals("Expected key 'Exception' not found", "Exception", exception.getKey());
+    assertNotNull("Exception message should not be null", exception.getValue());
     unIgnoreException("Server refused connection");
   }