diff --git a/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/metadata/Partition.java b/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/metadata/Partition.java
index 6b34a2b69729..884aa2016279 100644
--- a/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/metadata/Partition.java
+++ b/ql/src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hive/ql/metadata/Partition.java
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ protected void initialize(Table table,
       return;
     }
 
-    if (table.isPartitioned()) {
+    if (table.isPartitioned() && tPartition.isSetSd()) {
       try {
         if (tPartition.getSd().getLocation() == null) {
           // set default if location is not set and this is a physical