diff --git a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/constraint/AnnotationConstraint.java b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/constraint/AnnotationConstraint.java
index 192eff5..fe91de3 100644
--- a/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/constraint/AnnotationConstraint.java
+++ b/core/api/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/intent/constraint/AnnotationConstraint.java
@@ -76,9 +76,11 @@
     }
 
     private boolean isValid(Link link) {
-        double value = getAnnotatedValue(link, key);
-
-        return value <= threshold;
+        if (link.annotations().value(key) != null) {
+            return getAnnotatedValue(link, key) <= threshold;
+        } else {
+            return false;
+        }
     }
 
     // doesn't use LinkResourceService