diff --git a/java/java.hints/src/org/netbeans/modules/java/hints/jdk/mapreduce/PreconditionsChecker.java b/java/java.hints/src/org/netbeans/modules/java/hints/jdk/mapreduce/PreconditionsChecker.java
index c314c55ccf78..02196f3f91f5 100644
--- a/java/java.hints/src/org/netbeans/modules/java/hints/jdk/mapreduce/PreconditionsChecker.java
+++ b/java/java.hints/src/org/netbeans/modules/java/hints/jdk/mapreduce/PreconditionsChecker.java
@@ -223,11 +223,15 @@ public Tree visitIdentifier(IdentifierTree that, Trees trees) {
         }
 
         private boolean isLocalVariable(IdentifierTree id, Trees trees) {
-            Element el = trees.getElement(TreePath.getPath(treePath, id));
-            if (el != null) {
-                return el.getKind() == ElementKind.LOCAL_VARIABLE || el.getKind() == ElementKind.PARAMETER;
+            TreePath path = TreePath.getPath(treePath, id);
+            if (path == null) {
+                return false;
             }
-            return false;
+            Element el = trees.getElement(path);
+            if (el == null) {
+                return false;
+            }
+            return el.getKind() == ElementKind.LOCAL_VARIABLE || el.getKind() == ElementKind.PARAMETER;
         }
     }