diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/BroadcastQueue.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/BroadcastQueue.java
index a2eea1348d5c1..b7ecddced0c82 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/BroadcastQueue.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/am/BroadcastQueue.java
@@ -809,7 +809,8 @@ public final class BroadcastQueue {
                         r.resultExtras, r.ordered, r.initialSticky, r.userId);
                 // parallel broadcasts are fire-and-forget, not bookended by a call to
                 // finishReceiverLocked(), so we manage their activity-start token here
-                if (r.allowBackgroundActivityStarts && !r.ordered) {
+                if (filter.receiverList.app != null
+                        && r.allowBackgroundActivityStarts && !r.ordered) {
                     postActivityStartTokenRemoval(filter.receiverList.app, r);
                 }
             }