diff --git a/packages/animations/browser/src/render/transition_animation_engine.ts b/packages/animations/browser/src/render/transition_animation_engine.ts
index 192c747e87..205f6ecbba 100644
--- a/packages/animations/browser/src/render/transition_animation_engine.ts
+++ b/packages/animations/browser/src/render/transition_animation_engine.ts
@@ -649,8 +649,11 @@ export class TransitionAnimationEngine {
 
   trigger(namespaceId: string, element: any, name: string, value: any): boolean {
     if (isElementNode(element)) {
-      this._fetchNamespace(namespaceId).trigger(element, name, value);
-      return true;
+      const ns = this._fetchNamespace(namespaceId);
+      if (ns) {
+        ns.trigger(element, name, value);
+        return true;
+      }
     }
     return false;
   }
diff --git a/packages/animations/browser/test/render/transition_animation_engine_spec.ts b/packages/animations/browser/test/render/transition_animation_engine_spec.ts
index 314b262780..5a122e9bd5 100644
--- a/packages/animations/browser/test/render/transition_animation_engine_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/animations/browser/test/render/transition_animation_engine_spec.ts
@@ -616,6 +616,13 @@ const DEFAULT_NAMESPACE_ID = 'id';
         expect(element.contains(child1)).toBe(true);
         expect(element.contains(child2)).toBe(true);
       });
+
+      it('should not throw an error if a missing namespace is used', () => {
+        const engine = makeEngine();
+        const ID = 'foo';
+        const TRIGGER = 'fooTrigger';
+        expect(() => { engine.trigger(ID, element, TRIGGER, 'something'); }).not.toThrow();
+      });
     });
   });
 })();