diff --git a/account/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/account/api/user/DefaultAccountCreationEvent.java b/account/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/account/api/user/DefaultAccountCreationEvent.java
index ce191ed..5b4235a 100644
--- a/account/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/account/api/user/DefaultAccountCreationEvent.java
+++ b/account/src/main/java/org/killbill/billing/account/api/user/DefaultAccountCreationEvent.java
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ public class DefaultAccountCreationEvent extends BusEventBase implements Account
@Override
public DateTime getReferenceTime() {
- return DATE_TIME_FORMATTER.parseDateTime(referenceTime);
+ return referenceTime != null ? DATE_TIME_FORMATTER.parseDateTime(referenceTime) : null;
}
@Override