--- a/src/hotspot/share/runtime/perfData.cpp	Thu Oct 18 10:08:35 2018 -0400
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/runtime/perfData.cpp	Thu Oct 18 10:35:58 2018 -0400
@@ -323,7 +323,12 @@
 }
 
 PerfData* PerfDataManager::find_by_name(const char* name) {
-  return _all->find_by_name(name);
+  // if add_item hasn't been called the list won't be initialized
+  if (_all != NULL) {
+    return _all->find_by_name(name);
+  } else {
+    return NULL;
+  }
 }
 
 PerfDataList* PerfDataManager::all() {
@@ -591,10 +596,6 @@
 
 PerfData* PerfDataList::find_by_name(const char* name) {
 
-  // if add_item hasn't been called the list won't be initialized
-  if (this == NULL)
-    return NULL;
-
   int i = _set->find((void*)name, PerfDataList::by_name);
 
   if (i >= 0 && i <= _set->length())