Index: ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/Utilities.java =================================================================== --- ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/Utilities.java (revision 1634463) +++ ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/exec/Utilities.java (working copy) @@ -1831,6 +1831,9 @@ // test code path jc = new JobConf(hconf); } + if(conf == null) { + throw new HiveException("FileSinkDesc object is null.."); + } HiveOutputFormat hiveOutputFormat = null; Class outputClass = null; boolean isCompressed = conf.getCompressed();