diff --git a/common/utils/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableHelper.scala b/common/utils/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableHelper.scala
index db5eff72e124a..428c9d2a49351 100644
--- a/common/utils/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableHelper.scala
+++ b/common/utils/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableHelper.scala
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ private[spark] object SparkThrowableHelper {
   }
 
   def isInternalError(errorClass: String): Boolean = {
-    errorClass.startsWith("INTERNAL_ERROR")
+    errorClass != null && errorClass.startsWith("INTERNAL_ERROR")
   }
 
   def getMessage(e: SparkThrowable with Throwable, format: ErrorMessageFormat.Value): String = {
diff --git a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableSuite.scala b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableSuite.scala
index 0c22edbe984cc..d99589c171c3f 100644
--- a/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableSuite.scala
+++ b/core/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/SparkThrowableSuite.scala
@@ -259,6 +259,7 @@ class SparkThrowableSuite extends SparkFunSuite {
     } catch {
       case e: SparkThrowable =>
         assert(e.getErrorClass == null)
+        assert(!e.isInternalError)
         assert(e.getSqlState == null)
       case _: Throwable =>
         // Should not end up here
@@ -275,6 +276,7 @@ class SparkThrowableSuite extends SparkFunSuite {
     } catch {
       case e: SparkThrowable =>
         assert(e.getErrorClass == "CANNOT_PARSE_DECIMAL")
+        assert(!e.isInternalError)
         assert(e.getSqlState == "22018")
       case _: Throwable =>
         // Should not end up here