diff --git a/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.cpp b/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.cpp
index 5d56cfea3d0a91ead8ad45052e7a21cd8b62d09e..2f330419535ba2a6ca071c4f51270109c2281a5d 100644
--- a/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/share/vm/runtime/thread.cpp
@@ -836,7 +836,9 @@ bool Thread::claim_oops_do_par_case(int strong_roots_parity) {
 }
 
 void Thread::oops_do(OopClosure* f, CLDClosure* cld_f, CodeBlobClosure* cf) {
-  active_handles()->oops_do(f);
+  if (active_handles() != NULL) {
+    active_handles()->oops_do(f);
+  }
   // Do oop for ThreadShadow
   f->do_oop((oop*)&_pending_exception);
   handle_area()->oops_do(f);