diff --git a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/statistics/util/SpiderDetector.java b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/statistics/util/SpiderDetector.java
index da144cd3f3..4b10a8802b 100644
--- a/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/statistics/util/SpiderDetector.java
+++ b/dspace-api/src/main/java/org/dspace/statistics/util/SpiderDetector.java
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ public class SpiderDetector {
 
             for (Pattern candidate : agents)
             {
-                if (candidate.matcher(agent).find())
+                // prevent matcher() invocation from a null Pattern object
+                if (null != candidate && candidate.matcher(agent).find())
                 {
                     return true;
                 }
@@ -236,7 +237,8 @@ public class SpiderDetector {
 
             for (Pattern candidate : domains)
             {
-                if (candidate.matcher(hostname).find())
+                // prevent matcher() invocation from a null Pattern object
+                if (null != candidate && candidate.matcher(hostname).find())
                 {
                     return true;
                 }