diff --git a/flink-connectors/flink-connector-base/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/connector/base/source/hybrid/HybridSourceReader.java b/flink-connectors/flink-connector-base/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/connector/base/source/hybrid/HybridSourceReader.java
index 18c049f7c053c..aed973b41a5ab 100644
--- a/flink-connectors/flink-connector-base/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/connector/base/source/hybrid/HybridSourceReader.java
+++ b/flink-connectors/flink-connector-base/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/connector/base/source/hybrid/HybridSourceReader.java
@@ -252,6 +252,8 @@ private void setCurrentReader(int index) {
     @Override
     public void pauseOrResumeSplits(
             Collection<String> splitsToPause, Collection<String> splitsToResume) {
-        currentReader.pauseOrResumeSplits(splitsToPause, splitsToResume);
+        if (currentReader != null) {
+            currentReader.pauseOrResumeSplits(splitsToPause, splitsToResume);
+        }
     }
 }