diff --git a/openjpa-jdbc/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/jdbc/meta/strats/RelationFieldStrategy.java b/openjpa-jdbc/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/jdbc/meta/strats/RelationFieldStrategy.java
index 17d6fc18f..02521b465 100644
--- a/openjpa-jdbc/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/jdbc/meta/strats/RelationFieldStrategy.java
+++ b/openjpa-jdbc/src/main/java/org/apache/openjpa/jdbc/meta/strats/RelationFieldStrategy.java
@@ -704,7 +704,8 @@ public class RelationFieldStrategy
 
         boolean isLocked = res.isLocking();
         try {
-            res.setLocking(store.getLockManager().skipRelationFieldLock());
+            if (store.getLockManager() != null)
+                res.setLocking(store.getLockManager().skipRelationFieldLock());
             sm.storeObject(field.getIndex(), res.load(cls, store, fetch,
                     eagerJoin(res.newJoins(), cls, false)));
         } finally {