diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/AbstractSqmRestrictedDmlStatement.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/AbstractSqmRestrictedDmlStatement.java
index 85b8c92071..84cbdcee42 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/AbstractSqmRestrictedDmlStatement.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/tree/AbstractSqmRestrictedDmlStatement.java
@@ -61,7 +61,8 @@ protected SqmWhereClause copyWhereClause(SqmCopyContext context) {
 		}
 		else {
 			final SqmWhereClause whereClause = new SqmWhereClause( nodeBuilder() );
-			whereClause.setPredicate( getWhereClause().getPredicate().copy( context ) );
+			final SqmPredicate predicate = getWhereClause().getPredicate();
+			whereClause.setPredicate( predicate==null ? null : predicate.copy( context ) );
 			return whereClause;
 		}
 	}