diff --git a/codec-http2/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/AbstractHttp2StreamChannel.java b/codec-http2/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/AbstractHttp2StreamChannel.java
index 68ed5c990a..32825db919 100644
--- a/codec-http2/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/AbstractHttp2StreamChannel.java
+++ b/codec-http2/src/main/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/AbstractHttp2StreamChannel.java
@@ -783,7 +783,7 @@ abstract class AbstractHttp2StreamChannel extends DefaultAttributeMap implements
                 do {
                     flowControlledBytes += doRead0((Http2Frame) message, allocHandle);
                 } while ((readEOS || (continueReading = allocHandle.continueReading())) &&
-                        (message = inboundBuffer.poll()) != null);
+                        inboundBuffer != null && (message = inboundBuffer.poll()) != null);
 
                 if (continueReading && isParentReadInProgress() && !readEOS) {
                     // Currently the parent and child channel are on the same EventLoop thread. If the parent is
diff --git a/codec-http2/src/test/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/Http2MultiplexTest.java b/codec-http2/src/test/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/Http2MultiplexTest.java
index a93c03734e..1abaf00938 100644
--- a/codec-http2/src/test/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/Http2MultiplexTest.java
+++ b/codec-http2/src/test/java/io/netty/handler/codec/http2/Http2MultiplexTest.java
@@ -303,6 +303,42 @@ public abstract class Http2MultiplexTest<C extends Http2FrameCodec> {
         verifyFramesMultiplexedToCorrectChannel(childChannel, inboundHandler, 2);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void channelReadShouldRespectAutoReadAndNotProduceNPE() throws Exception {
+        LastInboundHandler inboundHandler = new LastInboundHandler();
+        Http2StreamChannel childChannel = newInboundStream(3, false, inboundHandler);
+        assertTrue(childChannel.config().isAutoRead());
+        Http2HeadersFrame headersFrame = inboundHandler.readInbound();
+        assertNotNull(headersFrame);
+
+        childChannel.config().setAutoRead(false);
+        childChannel.pipeline().addFirst(new ChannelInboundHandlerAdapter() {
+            private int count;
+            @Override
+            public void channelRead(ChannelHandlerContext ctx, Object msg) throws Exception {
+                ctx.fireChannelRead(msg);
+                // Close channel after 2 reads so there is still something in the inboundBuffer when the close happens.
+                if (++count == 2) {
+                    ctx.close();
+                }
+            }
+        });
+        frameInboundWriter.writeInboundData(childChannel.stream().id(), bb("hello world"), 0, false);
+        Http2DataFrame dataFrame0 = inboundHandler.readInbound();
+        assertNotNull(dataFrame0);
+        release(dataFrame0);
+
+        frameInboundWriter.writeInboundData(childChannel.stream().id(), bb("foo"), 0, false);
+        frameInboundWriter.writeInboundData(childChannel.stream().id(), bb("bar"), 0, false);
+        frameInboundWriter.writeInboundData(childChannel.stream().id(), bb("bar"), 0, false);
+
+        assertNull(inboundHandler.readInbound());
+
+        childChannel.config().setAutoRead(true);
+        verifyFramesMultiplexedToCorrectChannel(childChannel, inboundHandler, 3);
+        inboundHandler.checkException();
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void readInChannelReadWithoutAutoRead() {
         useReadWithoutAutoRead(false);