diff --git a/hudi-utilities/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/utilities/deltastreamer/DeltaSync.java b/hudi-utilities/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/utilities/deltastreamer/DeltaSync.java
index 2a319308fbfea..7dd9a36892cf2 100644
--- a/hudi-utilities/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/utilities/deltastreamer/DeltaSync.java
+++ b/hudi-utilities/src/main/java/org/apache/hudi/utilities/deltastreamer/DeltaSync.java
@@ -910,6 +910,10 @@ public Option<HoodieTimeline> getCommitTimelineOpt() {
    * @return Requested clustering instant.
    */
   public Option<String> getClusteringInstantOpt() {
-    return writeClient.scheduleClustering(Option.empty());
+    if (writeClient != null) {
+      return writeClient.scheduleClustering(Option.empty());
+    } else {
+      return Option.empty();
+    }
   }
 }