diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolver.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolver.java
index e9344b0027d..f1eaa6607da 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolver.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/main/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolver.java
@@ -61,8 +61,10 @@ public class ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolver implements HandlerMethodArgum
 			MethodParameter parameter, ModelAndViewContainer mavContainer,
 			NativeWebRequest webRequest, WebDataBinderFactory binderFactory)
 			throws IOException {
-		
-		mavContainer.setRequestHandled(true);
+
+		if (mavContainer != null) {
+			mavContainer.setRequestHandled(true);
+		}
 
 		HttpServletResponse response = webRequest.getNativeResponse(HttpServletResponse.class);
 		Class<?> paramType = parameter.getParameterType();
diff --git a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolverTests.java b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolverTests.java
index 5ea3c893e63..14c37c7ecd6 100644
--- a/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolverTests.java
+++ b/org.springframework.web.servlet/src/test/java/org/springframework/web/servlet/mvc/method/annotation/ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolverTests.java
@@ -70,6 +70,16 @@ public class ServletResponseMethodArgumentResolverTests {
 		assertTrue(mavContainer.isRequestHandled());
 	}
 
+	// SPR-8983
+
+	public void servletResponseNoMavContainer() throws Exception {
+		MethodParameter servletResponseParameter = new MethodParameter(method, 0);
+		assertTrue("ServletResponse not supported", resolver.supportsParameter(servletResponseParameter));
+
+		Object result = resolver.resolveArgument(servletResponseParameter, null, webRequest, null);
+		assertSame("Invalid result", servletResponse, result);
+	}
+
 	@Test
 	public void outputStream() throws Exception {
 		MethodParameter outputStreamParameter = new MethodParameter(method, 1);