diff --git a/janusgraph-cql/src/main/java/org/janusgraph/diskstorage/cql/CQLStoreManager.java b/janusgraph-cql/src/main/java/org/janusgraph/diskstorage/cql/CQLStoreManager.java
index aa98f7c4a0..09f7b055b1 100644
--- a/janusgraph-cql/src/main/java/org/janusgraph/diskstorage/cql/CQLStoreManager.java
+++ b/janusgraph-cql/src/main/java/org/janusgraph/diskstorage/cql/CQLStoreManager.java
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ public void close() throws BackendException {
             ExceptionWrapper exceptionWrapper = new ExceptionWrapper();
             executeWithCatching(this::clearJmxMetrics, exceptionWrapper);
             executeWithCatching(session::close, exceptionWrapper);
-            executeWithCatching(queriesBackPressure::close, exceptionWrapper);
+            if (queriesBackPressure != null) executeWithCatching(queriesBackPressure::close, exceptionWrapper);
             throwIfException(exceptionWrapper);
         } finally {
             gracefulExecutorServiceShutdown(executorService, threadPoolShutdownMaxWaitTime);