diff --git a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/network/router/NetworkHelperImpl.java b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/network/router/NetworkHelperImpl.java
index 38286b5d4d94..4a1c5b64d210 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/network/router/NetworkHelperImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/network/router/NetworkHelperImpl.java
@@ -445,7 +445,9 @@ public DomainRouterVO startVirtualRouter(final DomainRouterVO router, final User
         final int retryIndex = 5;
         final ExcludeList[] avoids = new ExcludeList[5];
         avoids[0] = new ExcludeList();
-        avoids[0].addPod(routerToBeAvoid.getPodIdToDeployIn());
+        if (routerToBeAvoid.getPodIdToDeployIn() != null) {
+            avoids[0].addPod(routerToBeAvoid.getPodIdToDeployIn());
+        }
         avoids[1] = new ExcludeList();
         avoids[1].addCluster(_hostDao.findById(routerToBeAvoid.getHostId()).getClusterId());
         avoids[2] = new ExcludeList();