diff --git a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/BaseHapiFhirResourceDao.java b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/BaseHapiFhirResourceDao.java
index d7bd6077fbf..d43a08cdde1 100644
--- a/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/BaseHapiFhirResourceDao.java
+++ b/hapi-fhir-jpaserver-base/src/main/java/ca/uhn/fhir/jpa/dao/BaseHapiFhirResourceDao.java
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ public abstract class BaseHapiFhirResourceDao<T extends IBaseResource> extends B
 			throw new MethodNotAllowedException("_expunge is not enabled on this server: " + getConfig().cannotDeleteExpungeReason());
 		}
 
-		if (theUrl.contains(Constants.PARAMETER_CASCADE_DELETE) || theRequest.getHeader(Constants.HEADER_CASCADE).equals(Constants.CASCADE_DELETE)) {
+		if (theUrl.contains(Constants.PARAMETER_CASCADE_DELETE) || (theRequest.getHeader(Constants.HEADER_CASCADE) != null && theRequest.getHeader(Constants.HEADER_CASCADE).equals(Constants.CASCADE_DELETE))) {
 			throw new InvalidRequestException("_expunge cannot be used with _cascade");
 		}