diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/FhirResourceDaoQuestionnaireAnswersDstu2.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/FhirResourceDaoQuestionnaireAnswersDstu2.java
index 31ef0db18b6..579bedcdf56 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/FhirResourceDaoQuestionnaireAnswersDstu2.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/FhirResourceDaoQuestionnaireAnswersDstu2.java
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ public class FhirResourceDaoQuestionnaireAnswersDstu2 extends FhirResourceDaoDst
 		super.validateResourceForStorage(theResource);
 
 		QuestionnaireAnswers qa = (QuestionnaireAnswers) theResource;
-		if (qa.getQuestionnaire().getReference().isEmpty()) {
+		if (qa == null || qa.getQuestionnaire() == null || qa.getQuestionnaire().getReference() == null || qa.getQuestionnaire().getReference().isEmpty()) {
 			return;
 		}