diff --git a/contrib/hadoop-store-builder/src/java/voldemort/store/readonly/fetcher/HdfsFetcher.java b/contrib/hadoop-store-builder/src/java/voldemort/store/readonly/fetcher/HdfsFetcher.java
index d916097dd6..c959408715 100644
--- a/contrib/hadoop-store-builder/src/java/voldemort/store/readonly/fetcher/HdfsFetcher.java
+++ b/contrib/hadoop-store-builder/src/java/voldemort/store/readonly/fetcher/HdfsFetcher.java
@@ -149,7 +149,11 @@ public HdfsFetcher(DynamicThrottleLimit dynThrottleLimit,
     }
 
     public File fetch(String sourceFileUrl, String destinationFile) throws IOException {
-        return fetch(sourceFileUrl, destinationFile, this.voldemortConfig.getHadoopConfigPath());
+        String hadoopConfigPath = "";
+        if(this.voldemortConfig != null) {
+            hadoopConfigPath = this.voldemortConfig.getHadoopConfigPath();
+        }
+        return fetch(sourceFileUrl, destinationFile, hadoopConfigPath);
     }
 
     public File fetch(String sourceFileUrl, String destinationFile, String hadoopConfigPath)
@@ -274,7 +278,7 @@ public FileSystem run() throws Exception {
             } else {
                 return null;
             }
-        } catch(Exception e) {
+        } catch(IOException e) {
             logger.error("Error while getting Hadoop filesystem : " + e);
             return null;
         } finally {