diff --git a/hail/src/main/scala/is/hail/io/fs/GoogleStorageFS.scala b/hail/src/main/scala/is/hail/io/fs/GoogleStorageFS.scala
index 382e3743f2d..b9982c4e524 100644
--- a/hail/src/main/scala/is/hail/io/fs/GoogleStorageFS.scala
+++ b/hail/src/main/scala/is/hail/io/fs/GoogleStorageFS.scala
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ class GoogleStorageFS(
     makeUserProjectOption: String => U,
     bucket: String
   ): T = exc match {
-    case exc: IOException =>
+    case exc: IOException if exc.getCause() != null =>
       retryIfRequesterPays(exc.getCause(), makeRequest, makeUserProjectOption, bucket)
     case exc: StorageException =>
       retryIfRequesterPays(exc, exc.getMessage(), exc.getCode(), makeRequest, makeUserProjectOption, bucket)
@@ -332,7 +332,7 @@ class GoogleStorageFS(
     }
 
     def discoverExceptionThenRetryCopyIfRequesterPays(exc: Throwable): Unit = exc match {
-      case exc: IOException =>
+      case exc: IOException if exc.getCause() != null =>
         discoverExceptionThenRetryCopyIfRequesterPays(exc.getCause())
       case exc: StorageException =>
         retryCopyIfRequesterPays(exc, exc.getMessage(), exc.getCode())