diff --git a/driver-kafka/src/main/java/io/sbk/Kafka/Kafka.java b/driver-kafka/src/main/java/io/sbk/Kafka/Kafka.java
index 8aa083fc5..0f948610e 100644
--- a/driver-kafka/src/main/java/io/sbk/Kafka/Kafka.java
+++ b/driver-kafka/src/main/java/io/sbk/Kafka/Kafka.java
@@ -113,7 +113,9 @@ public void openStorage(final Parameters params) throws  IOException {
 
     @Override
     public void closeStorage(final Parameters params) throws IOException {
-        topicHandler.close();
+        if (topicHandler != null) {
+            topicHandler.close();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/sbk/Pulsar/Pulsar.java b/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/sbk/Pulsar/Pulsar.java
index 83db5d39c..bd8424556 100644
--- a/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/sbk/Pulsar/Pulsar.java
+++ b/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/sbk/Pulsar/Pulsar.java
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@ public void openStorage(final Parameters params) throws  IOException {
 
     @Override
     public void closeStorage(final Parameters params) throws IOException {
+        if (topicHandler != null) {
             topicHandler.close();
+        }
     }
 
     @Override