diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/Stash.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/Stash.java
index 9eae902c3e3..52b531e5cd1 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/Stash.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/Stash.java
@@ -88,6 +88,9 @@ public class Stash implements ToXContent {
      */
     public Object unstashValue(String value) throws IOException {
         if (value.startsWith("$body.")) {
+            if (response == null) {
+                return null;
+            }
             return response.evaluate(value.substring("$body".length()), this);
         }
         Object stashedValue = stash.get(value.substring(1));
diff --git a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/client/RestResponse.java b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/client/RestResponse.java
index cdcd6a21a52..e0b2f3ab729 100644
--- a/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/client/RestResponse.java
+++ b/test/framework/src/main/java/org/elasticsearch/test/rest/client/RestResponse.java
@@ -51,7 +51,11 @@ public class RestResponse {
      */
     public Object getBody() throws IOException {
         if (isJson()) {
-            return parsedResponse().evaluate("");
+            JsonPath parsedResponse = parsedResponse();
+            if (parsedResponse == null) {
+                return null;
+            }
+            return parsedResponse.evaluate("");
         }
         return response.getBody();
     }