Index: ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/persistence/MapJoinObjectKey.java =================================================================== --- ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/persistence/MapJoinObjectKey.java (revision 1101116) +++ ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/persistence/MapJoinObjectKey.java (working copy) @@ -60,6 +60,9 @@ if ((obj != null) && (mObjArray != null)) { if (obj.length == mObjArray.length) { for (int i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) { + if (obj[i] == null) { + return mObjArray[i] == null; + } if (!obj[i].equals(mObjArray[i])) { return false; }