diff --git a/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java b/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
index 5358af188..e537c9537 100644
--- a/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
+++ b/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
@@ -309,7 +309,7 @@ public class SimpleJpaRepository<T, ID> implements JpaRepositoryImplementation<T
 
 		getQueryHints().withFetchGraphs(em).forEach(hints::put);
 
-		if (metadata.getComment() != null && provider.getCommentHintKey() != null) {
+		if (metadata != null && metadata.getComment() != null && provider.getCommentHintKey() != null) {
 			hints.put(provider.getCommentHintKey(), provider.getCommentHintValue(metadata.getComment()));
 		}