diff --git a/independent-projects/bootstrap/maven-resolver/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/resolver/maven/workspace/WorkspaceLoader.java b/independent-projects/bootstrap/maven-resolver/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/resolver/maven/workspace/WorkspaceLoader.java
index d26b0ac5b8126..ea06a5bfc1f49 100644
--- a/independent-projects/bootstrap/maven-resolver/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/resolver/maven/workspace/WorkspaceLoader.java
+++ b/independent-projects/bootstrap/maven-resolver/src/main/java/io/quarkus/bootstrap/resolver/maven/workspace/WorkspaceLoader.java
@@ -172,6 +172,9 @@ void setWorkspaceRootPom(Path rootPom) {
 
     private LocalProject loadProject(Path projectPom, String skipModule) throws BootstrapMavenException {
         final Model rawModel = rawModel(projectPom);
+        if (rawModel == null) {
+            return null;
+        }
         final LocalProject parentProject = loadParentProject(projectPom, rawModel);
         final LocalProject project = project(projectPom);
         if (project == null) {