diff --git a/pulsar/consumer_impl.go b/pulsar/consumer_impl.go
index b4903516e..f6835a2d1 100644
--- a/pulsar/consumer_impl.go
+++ b/pulsar/consumer_impl.go
@@ -639,7 +639,11 @@ func (c *consumer) ReconsumeLaterWithCustomProperties(msg Message, customPropert
 			msgID:      msgID,
 		},
 	}
-	if uint32(reconsumeTimes) > c.dlq.policy.MaxDeliveries {
+	if c.dlq.policy == nil {
+		c.log.Warn("Receive retry message but the DLQPolicy is nil, please check")
+		return
+	}
+	if c.dlq.policy != nil && uint32(reconsumeTimes) > c.dlq.policy.MaxDeliveries {
 		c.dlq.Chan() <- consumerMsg
 	} else {
 		c.rlq.Chan() <- RetryMessage{
diff --git a/pulsar/consumer_test.go b/pulsar/consumer_test.go
index 83521dd4e..ef085b295 100644
--- a/pulsar/consumer_test.go
+++ b/pulsar/consumer_test.go
@@ -4490,6 +4490,50 @@ func TestMultiConsumerMemoryLimit(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// Test for issue #664
+func TestIssue664(t *testing.T) {
+	client, err := NewClient(ClientOptions{
+		URL: lookupURL,
+	})
+
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	defer client.Close()
+
+	topic := "persistent://public/default/my-topic"
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// create producer
+	producer, err := client.CreateProducer(ProducerOptions{
+		Topic:           topic,
+		DisableBatching: false,
+	})
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	defer producer.Close()
+	if _, err = producer.Send(ctx, &ProducerMessage{
+		Payload: []byte(fmt.Sprintf("hello-%d", 10)),
+	}); err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// create consumer
+	consumer, err := client.Subscribe(ConsumerOptions{
+		Topic:            topic,
+		SubscriptionName: "my-sub",
+		Type:             Exclusive,
+	})
+	assert.Nil(t, err)
+	defer consumer.Close()
+
+	msg, err := consumer.Receive(context.Background())
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	expectMsg := fmt.Sprintf("hello-%d", 10)
+	assert.Equal(t, []byte(expectMsg), msg.Payload())
+	consumer.ReconsumeLater(msg, time.Second)
+
+}
+
 func TestConsumerAckCumulativeOnSharedSubShouldFailed(t *testing.T) {
 	client, err := NewClient(ClientOptions{
 		URL: lookupURL,