diff --git a/hyracks-fullstack/algebricks/algebricks-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/algebricks/core/rewriter/base/AbstractRuleController.java b/hyracks-fullstack/algebricks/algebricks-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/algebricks/core/rewriter/base/AbstractRuleController.java
index 98fe7b0..cfb3db1 100644
--- a/hyracks-fullstack/algebricks/algebricks-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/algebricks/core/rewriter/base/AbstractRuleController.java
+++ b/hyracks-fullstack/algebricks/algebricks-core/src/main/java/org/apache/hyracks/algebricks/core/rewriter/base/AbstractRuleController.java
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
     }
 
     private String getPlanString(Mutable<ILogicalOperator> opRef) throws AlgebricksException {
-        if (AlgebricksConfig.ALGEBRICKS_LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.FINE)) {
+        if (AlgebricksConfig.ALGEBRICKS_LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.FINE) && context != null) {
             LogicalOperatorPrettyPrintVisitor pvisitor = context.getPrettyPrintVisitor();
             pvisitor.reset(new AlgebricksAppendable());
             PlanPrettyPrinter.printOperator((AbstractLogicalOperator) opRef.getValue(), pvisitor, 0);