diff --git a/apps/k8s-networking/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/k8snetworking/util/K8sNetworkingUtil.java b/apps/k8s-networking/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/k8snetworking/util/K8sNetworkingUtil.java
index 045b300..7d20b65 100644
--- a/apps/k8s-networking/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/k8snetworking/util/K8sNetworkingUtil.java
+++ b/apps/k8s-networking/app/src/main/java/org/onosproject/k8snetworking/util/K8sNetworkingUtil.java
@@ -492,6 +492,11 @@
      *         return 0 if there is no port number mapped with the given port name
      */
     public static int portNumberByName(Pod pod, String portName) {
+
+        if (pod == null || pod.getSpec() == null) {
+            return 0;
+        }
+
         for (Container container : pod.getSpec().getContainers()) {
             for (ContainerPort cp : container.getPorts()) {
                 if (cp.getName() != null && cp.getName().equals(portName)) {