diff --git a/pkg/es/config/config.go b/pkg/es/config/config.go
index ecf0216603a..7968a175526 100644
--- a/pkg/es/config/config.go
+++ b/pkg/es/config/config.go
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ func (c *Configuration) NewClient(logger *zap.Logger, metricsFactory metrics.Fac
 			m.Delete(id)
 
 			// log individual errors, note that err might be false and these errors still present
-			if response.Errors {
+			if response != nil && response.Errors {
 				for _, it := range response.Items {
 					for key, val := range it {
 						if val.Error != nil {
@@ -127,7 +127,12 @@ func (c *Configuration) NewClient(logger *zap.Logger, metricsFactory metrics.Fac
 
 			sm.Emit(err, time.Since(start.(time.Time)))
 			if err != nil {
-				failed := len(response.Failed())
+				var failed int
+				if response == nil {
+					failed = 0
+				} else {
+					failed = len(response.Failed())
+				}
 				total := len(requests)
 				logger.Error("Elasticsearch could not process bulk request",
 					zap.Int("request_count", total),