diff --git a/pulsar-client/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImpl.java b/pulsar-client/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImpl.java
index 81126636010b3..a486104bdaa0d 100644
--- a/pulsar-client/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImpl.java
+++ b/pulsar-client/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImpl.java
@@ -437,10 +437,9 @@ public ConsumerBuilder<T> deadLetterPolicy(DeadLetterPolicy deadLetterPolicy) {
             if (conf.getAckTimeoutMillis() == 0) {
                 conf.setAckTimeoutMillis(DEFAULT_ACK_TIMEOUT_MILLIS_FOR_DEAD_LETTER);
             }
-
             checkArgument(deadLetterPolicy.getMaxRedeliverCount() > 0, "MaxRedeliverCount must be > 0.");
-            conf.setDeadLetterPolicy(deadLetterPolicy);
         }
+        conf.setDeadLetterPolicy(deadLetterPolicy);
         return this;
     }
 
diff --git a/pulsar-client/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImplTest.java b/pulsar-client/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImplTest.java
index cd1fa306ac254..e875da0907e6d 100644
--- a/pulsar-client/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImplTest.java
+++ b/pulsar-client/src/test/java/org/apache/pulsar/client/impl/ConsumerBuilderImplTest.java
@@ -18,6 +18,17 @@
  */
 package org.apache.pulsar.client.impl;
 
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
+import static org.testng.Assert.assertNotNull;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
+import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.BatchReceivePolicy;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.Consumer;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.DeadLetterPolicy;
@@ -29,19 +40,6 @@
 import org.testng.annotations.BeforeTest;
 import org.testng.annotations.Test;
 
-import java.util.Arrays;
-import java.util.HashMap;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.concurrent.CompletableFuture;
-import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
-import java.util.regex.Pattern;
-
-import static org.mockito.Mockito.mock;
-import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
-import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
-import static org.testng.Assert.assertNotNull;
-
 /**
  * Unit tests of {@link ConsumerBuilderImpl}.
  */
@@ -299,6 +297,12 @@ public void testRedeliverCountOfDeadLetterPolicy() {
                 .build());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void testNullDeadLetterPolicy() {
+        consumerBuilderImpl.deadLetterPolicy(null);
+        verify(consumerBuilderImpl.getConf()).setDeadLetterPolicy(null);
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testConsumerBuilderImplWhenNumericPropertiesAreValid() {
         consumerBuilderImpl.negativeAckRedeliveryDelay(1, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);