Index: src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java =================================================================== --- src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java (revision 685784) +++ src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HRegionServer.java (working copy) @@ -1129,6 +1129,8 @@ /** {@inheritDoc} */ public void batchUpdate(final byte [] regionName, BatchUpdate b, long lockId) throws IOException { + if (b.getRow() == null) + throw new RuntimeException("update has null row"); checkOpen(); this.requestCount.incrementAndGet(); HRegion region = getRegion(regionName); Index: src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HTable.java =================================================================== --- src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HTable.java (revision 685784) +++ src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/client/HTable.java (working copy) @@ -1252,6 +1252,8 @@ public synchronized void commit(final BatchUpdate batchUpdate, final RowLock rl) throws IOException { + if (batchUpdate.getRow() == null) + throw new RuntimeException("update has null row"); connection.getRegionServerWithRetries( new ServerCallable(connection, tableName, batchUpdate.getRow()) { public Boolean call() throws IOException {