diff --git a/core/src/main/java/feign/Client.java b/core/src/main/java/feign/Client.java
index 0227fc32b..20aeeae0d 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/feign/Client.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/feign/Client.java
@@ -137,9 +137,9 @@ Response convertResponse(HttpURLConnection connection, Request request) throws I
       } else {
         stream = connection.getInputStream();
       }
-      if (this.isGzip(headers.get(CONTENT_ENCODING))) {
+      if (stream != null && this.isGzip(headers.get(CONTENT_ENCODING))) {
         stream = new GZIPInputStream(stream);
-      } else if (this.isDeflate(headers.get(CONTENT_ENCODING))) {
+      } else if (stream != null && this.isDeflate(headers.get(CONTENT_ENCODING))) {
         stream = new InflaterInputStream(stream);
       }
       return Response.builder()
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/feign/client/AbstractClientTest.java b/core/src/test/java/feign/client/AbstractClientTest.java
index 578bfbd21..3fb210379 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/feign/client/AbstractClientTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/feign/client/AbstractClientTest.java
@@ -445,6 +445,26 @@ public void canSupportGzipOnError() throws Exception {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void canSupportGzipOnErrorWithoutBody() throws Exception {
+    server.enqueue(new MockResponse().setResponseCode(400).addHeader("Content-Encoding", "gzip"));
+
+    TestInterface api =
+        newBuilder().target(TestInterface.class, "http://localhost:" + server.getPort());
+
+    try {
+      api.get();
+      fail("Expect FeignException");
+    } catch (FeignException e) {
+      /* verify that the response is unzipped */
+      assertThat(e.responseBody())
+          .isNotEmpty()
+          .map(body -> new String(body.array(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8))
+          .get()
+          .isEqualTo("");
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void canSupportDeflate() throws Exception {
     /* enqueue a zipped response */
@@ -489,6 +509,27 @@ public void canSupportDeflateOnError() throws Exception {
     }
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void canSupportDeflateOnErrorWithoutBody() throws Exception {
+    server.enqueue(
+        new MockResponse().setResponseCode(400).addHeader("Content-Encoding", "deflate"));
+
+    TestInterface api =
+        newBuilder().target(TestInterface.class, "http://localhost:" + server.getPort());
+
+    try {
+      api.get();
+      fail("Expect FeignException");
+    } catch (FeignException e) {
+      /* verify that the response is unzipped */
+      assertThat(e.responseBody())
+          .isNotEmpty()
+          .map(body -> new String(body.array(), StandardCharsets.UTF_8))
+          .get()
+          .isEqualTo("");
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void canExceptCaseInsensitiveHeader() throws Exception {
     /* enqueue a zipped response */