diff --git a/modules/dcache/src/main/java/diskCacheV111/poolManager/PoolManagerV5.java b/modules/dcache/src/main/java/diskCacheV111/poolManager/PoolManagerV5.java
index 93a66fca1d1..5d90a170b55 100644
--- a/modules/dcache/src/main/java/diskCacheV111/poolManager/PoolManagerV5.java
+++ b/modules/dcache/src/main/java/diskCacheV111/poolManager/PoolManagerV5.java
@@ -577,7 +577,9 @@ private void getPoolInformation(
         List<String> offlinePools = new ArrayList<>();
         for (String name: msg.getPoolNames()) {
             PoolSelectionUnit.SelectionPool pool = _selectionUnit.getPool(name);
-            getPoolInformation(pool, onlinePools, offlinePools);
+            if (pool != null) {
+                getPoolInformation(pool, onlinePools, offlinePools);
+            }
         }
         msg.setPools(onlinePools);
         msg.setOfflinePools(offlinePools);