diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/VanillaChronicleHash.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/VanillaChronicleHash.java
index dc52c45c9..14ef6aec0 100755
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/VanillaChronicleHash.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/VanillaChronicleHash.java
@@ -681,7 +681,7 @@ public abstract class VanillaChronicleHash<K,
 
     @Override
     public final void close() {
-        if (resources.releaseManually()) {
+        if (resources != null && resources.releaseManually()) {
             cleanupOnClose();
         }
     }