diff --git a/containers/pax-exam-container-karaf/src/main/java/org/ops4j/pax/exam/karaf/container/internal/KarafTestContainer.java b/containers/pax-exam-container-karaf/src/main/java/org/ops4j/pax/exam/karaf/container/internal/KarafTestContainer.java
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/containers/pax-exam-container-karaf/src/main/java/org/ops4j/pax/exam/karaf/container/internal/KarafTestContainer.java
+++ b/containers/pax-exam-container-karaf/src/main/java/org/ops4j/pax/exam/karaf/container/internal/KarafTestContainer.java
@@ -474,8 +474,10 @@ public class KarafTestContainer implements TestContainer {
         // do the same for lib/boot
         File[] bootJars = new File(karafHome + "/lib/boot")
                 .listFiles((FileFilter) new WildcardFileFilter("*.jar"));
-        for (File jar : bootJars) {
-            cp.add(jar.toString());
+        if (bootJars != null) {
+            for (File jar : bootJars) {
+                cp.add(jar.toString());
+            }
         }
         // do the same for lib/ext
         File[] extJars = new File(karafHome + "/lib/ext")
[PAXEXAM-<I>] Support Karaf libraries in the lib/boot folder