diff --git a/hibernate-ehcache/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/ehcache/internal/util/HibernateUtil.java b/hibernate-ehcache/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/ehcache/internal/util/HibernateUtil.java
index ca7ff8882d..c781e2ce83 100644
--- a/hibernate-ehcache/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/ehcache/internal/util/HibernateUtil.java
+++ b/hibernate-ehcache/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/ehcache/internal/util/HibernateUtil.java
@@ -67,7 +67,8 @@ public final class HibernateUtil {
  			return null;
  		}
         
-        if ( config.getDefaultCacheConfiguration().isTerracottaClustered() ) {
+ 		if ( config.getDefaultCacheConfiguration() != null
+				&& config.getDefaultCacheConfiguration().isTerracottaClustered() ) {
             if ( ValueMode.IDENTITY
                     .equals( config.getDefaultCacheConfiguration().getTerracottaConfiguration().getValueMode() ) ) {
                 LOG.incompatibleCacheValueMode();