diff --git a/payment/src/main/java/com/ning/billing/payment/core/PaymentMethodProcessor.java b/payment/src/main/java/com/ning/billing/payment/core/PaymentMethodProcessor.java
index e234f07..5fa7600 100644
--- a/payment/src/main/java/com/ning/billing/payment/core/PaymentMethodProcessor.java
+++ b/payment/src/main/java/com/ning/billing/payment/core/PaymentMethodProcessor.java
@@ -189,7 +189,8 @@ public class PaymentMethodProcessor extends ProcessorBase {
}
try {
- if (account.getPaymentMethodId().equals(paymentMethodId)) {
+ // Note: account.getPaymentMethodId() may be null
+ if (paymentMethodId.equals(account.getPaymentMethodId())) {
if (!deleteDefaultPaymentMethodWithAutoPayOff) {
throw new PaymentApiException(ErrorCode.PAYMENT_DEL_DEFAULT_PAYMENT_METHOD, account.getId());
} else {