diff --git a/src/share/native/common/jni_util.c b/src/share/native/common/jni_util.c
index 07a9abc617f35feed94806ff76b307c2234c7859..891b78049725ba540b5cbf0b41ef87d9b9fa7c8e 100644
--- a/src/share/native/common/jni_util.c
+++ b/src/share/native/common/jni_util.c
@@ -749,6 +749,7 @@ initializeEncoding(JNIEnv *env)
     CHECK_NULL(String_getBytes_ID);
     String_init_ID = (*env)->GetMethodID(env, strClazz,
                                          "<init>", "([BLjava/lang/String;)V");
+    CHECK_NULL(String_init_ID);
 }
 
 static jboolean isJNUEncodingSupported = JNI_FALSE;