diff --git a/dspace-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/rest/ItemsResource.java b/dspace-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/rest/ItemsResource.java
index 89d3b541d2..ddb5b150b5 100644
--- a/dspace-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/rest/ItemsResource.java
+++ b/dspace-rest/src/main/java/org/dspace/rest/ItemsResource.java
@@ -457,9 +457,9 @@ public class ItemsResource extends Resource
             org.dspace.content.Bundle bundle = null;
             org.dspace.content.Bitstream dspaceBitstream = null;
             Bundle[] bundles = dspaceItem.getBundles("ORIGINAL");
-			if(bundles.length != 0)
+			if(bundles != null && bundles.length != 0)
 			{
-				bundle = bundles[0];
+				bundle = bundles[0]; // There should be only one bundle ORIGINAL.
 			}
             if (bundle == null)
             {