diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/NCConfig.java b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/NCConfig.java
index 7906b52..a65719e 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/NCConfig.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/hyracks/hyracks-control/hyracks-control-common/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/control/common/controllers/NCConfig.java
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@
 
     public NCConfig(String nodeId, ConfigManager configManager) {
         super(configManager);
-        this.appConfig = configManager.getNodeEffectiveConfig(nodeId);
+        this.appConfig = nodeId == null ? configManager.getAppConfig() : configManager.getNodeEffectiveConfig(nodeId);
         configManager.register(Option.class);
         setNodeId(nodeId);
         this.nodeId = nodeId;