diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/ibatis/executor/resultset/DefaultResultSetHandler.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/ibatis/executor/resultset/DefaultResultSetHandler.java
index f99239f0b9d..a5ae14b7ba8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/ibatis/executor/resultset/DefaultResultSetHandler.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/ibatis/executor/resultset/DefaultResultSetHandler.java
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ private void linkToParents(ResultSet rs, ResultMapping parentMapping, Object row
     CacheKey parentKey = createKeyForMultipleResults(rs, parentMapping, parentMapping.getColumn(),
         parentMapping.getForeignColumn());
     List<PendingRelation> parents = pendingRelations.get(parentKey);
-    if (!parents.isEmpty()) {
+    if (parents != null && !parents.isEmpty()) {
       for (PendingRelation parent : parents) {
         if (parent != null && rowValue != null) {
           linkObjects(parent.metaObject, parent.propertyMapping, rowValue);