diff --git a/maven-artifact-manager/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/artifact/resolver/DefaultArtifactResolver.java b/maven-artifact-manager/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/artifact/resolver/DefaultArtifactResolver.java
index f793850fd6..fb7cc4e505 100644
--- a/maven-artifact-manager/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/artifact/resolver/DefaultArtifactResolver.java
+++ b/maven-artifact-manager/src/main/java/org/apache/maven/artifact/resolver/DefaultArtifactResolver.java
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ public class DefaultArtifactResolver
             {
                 File systemFile = artifact.getFile();
 
-                if ( !systemFile.exists() )
+                if ( systemFile == null || !systemFile.exists() )
                 {
                     throw new ArtifactNotFoundException(
                         "System artifact: " + artifact + " not found in path: " + systemFile, artifact );