diff --git a/providers/lldpcommon/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/lldpcommon/LinkDiscovery.java b/providers/lldpcommon/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/lldpcommon/LinkDiscovery.java
index f108cd4..1937e07 100644
--- a/providers/lldpcommon/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/lldpcommon/LinkDiscovery.java
+++ b/providers/lldpcommon/src/main/java/org/onosproject/provider/lldpcommon/LinkDiscovery.java
@@ -255,6 +255,9 @@
     }
 
     private void sendProbes(Long portNumber) {
+        if (context.packetService() == null) {
+            return;
+        }
         log.trace("Sending probes out to {}@{}", portNumber, device.id());
         OutboundPacket pkt = createOutBoundLldp(portNumber);
         context.packetService().emit(pkt);