diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/CacheKey.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/CacheKey.java
index 7719132da0..3fa4b5058f 100755
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/CacheKey.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/CacheKey.java
@@ -87,15 +87,18 @@ public String getTenantId() {
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean equals(Object other) {
+		if ( other == null ) {
+			return false;
+		}
 		if ( this == other ) {
 			return true;
 		}
-		if ( !(other instanceof CacheKey) || hashCode != other.hashCode()) {
+		if ( hashCode != other.hashCode() || !( other instanceof CacheKey ) ) {
 			//hashCode is part of this check since it is pre-calculated and hash must match for equals to be true
 			return false;
 		}
 		CacheKey that = (CacheKey) other;
-		return entityOrRoleName.equals( that.entityOrRoleName ) &&
+		return EqualsHelper.equals( entityOrRoleName, that.entityOrRoleName ) &&
 				type.isEqual( key, that.key ) &&
 				EqualsHelper.equals( tenantId, that.tenantId );
 	}
diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java
index 4d87fec26e..61c1ed9a6c 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/cache/spi/NaturalIdCacheKey.java
@@ -137,17 +137,20 @@ public int hashCode() {
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean equals(Object o) {
+		if ( o == null ) {
+			return false;
+		}
 		if ( this == o ) {
 			return true;
 		}
-		
-		if ( !(o instanceof NaturalIdCacheKey) || hashCode != o.hashCode() ) {
+
+		if ( hashCode != o.hashCode() || !( o instanceof NaturalIdCacheKey ) ) {
 			//hashCode is part of this check since it is pre-calculated and hash must match for equals to be true
 			return false;
 		}
 
 		final NaturalIdCacheKey other = (NaturalIdCacheKey) o;
-		return entityName.equals( other.entityName ) 
+		return EqualsHelper.equals( entityName, other.entityName )
 				&& EqualsHelper.equals( tenantId, other.tenantId )
 				&& Arrays.deepEquals( this.naturalIdValues, other.naturalIdValues );
 	}