diff --git a/java/src/main/java/org/rocksdb/RocksDB.java b/java/src/main/java/org/rocksdb/RocksDB.java
index 6040ea182..c5bdc09d7 100644
--- a/java/src/main/java/org/rocksdb/RocksDB.java
+++ b/java/src/main/java/org/rocksdb/RocksDB.java
@@ -3574,9 +3574,8 @@ public class RocksDB extends RocksObject {
       /* @Nullable */final ColumnFamilyHandle columnFamilyHandle,
       final MutableColumnFamilyOptions mutableColumnFamilyOptions)
       throws RocksDBException {
-    setOptions(nativeHandle_, columnFamilyHandle.nativeHandle_,
-        mutableColumnFamilyOptions.getKeys(),
-        mutableColumnFamilyOptions.getValues());
+    setOptions(nativeHandle_, columnFamilyHandle == null ? 0 : columnFamilyHandle.nativeHandle_,
+        mutableColumnFamilyOptions.getKeys(), mutableColumnFamilyOptions.getValues());
   }
 
   /**