--- a/src/java.desktop/share/classes/java/awt/Component.java	Thu Nov 07 11:30:22 2019 +0530
+++ b/src/java.desktop/share/classes/java/awt/Component.java	Fri Nov 08 05:24:29 2019 +0000
@@ -2972,8 +2972,7 @@
             if (!wasValid && peer != null) {
                 Font newfont = getFont();
                 Font oldfont = peerFont;
-                if (newfont != oldfont && (oldfont == null
-                                           || !oldfont.equals(newfont))) {
+                if (newfont != null && !Objects.equals(oldfont, newfont)) {
                     peer.setFont(newfont);
                     peerFont = newfont;
                 }

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/test/jdk/java/awt/Component/Validate/NullFontValidate.java	Fri Nov 08 05:24:29 2019 +0000
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2019, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+import java.awt.Frame;
+
+/**
+ * @test
+ * @bug 8233657
+ * @key headful
+ * @summary tests that no NPE is thrown when calling Component.validate()
+ *          with null font
+ */
+public final class NullFontValidate {
+
+    public static void main(final String[] args) {
+        final Frame frame = new Frame();
+        try {
+            frame.pack();
+            frame.setFont(null);
+            frame.validate();
+        } finally {
+            frame.dispose();
+        }
+    }
+}