diff --git a/java/java-analysis-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/dataFlow/DataFlowInspectionBase.java b/java/java-analysis-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/dataFlow/DataFlowInspectionBase.java
index e4dd90a5be7c..3bfead5f6eb7 100644
--- a/java/java-analysis-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/dataFlow/DataFlowInspectionBase.java
+++ b/java/java-analysis-impl/src/com/intellij/codeInspection/dataFlow/DataFlowInspectionBase.java
@@ -307,7 +307,7 @@ public class DataFlowInspectionBase extends AbstractBaseJavaLocalInspectionTool
                                           DataFlowInstructionVisitor visitor) {
     visitor.sameValueAssignments().forEach(expr -> {
       expr = PsiUtil.skipParenthesizedExprDown(expr);
-      if(!reportedAnchors.add(expr)) return;
+      if(expr == null || !reportedAnchors.add(expr)) return;
       PsiAssignmentExpression assignment = PsiTreeUtil.getParentOfType(expr, PsiAssignmentExpression.class);
       PsiElement context = PsiTreeUtil.getParentOfType(expr, PsiForStatement.class, PsiClassInitializer.class);
       if (context instanceof PsiForStatement && PsiTreeUtil.isAncestor(((PsiForStatement)context).getInitialization(), expr, true)) {