diff --git a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java
index 7c1ac2737469a..3f6ebecdcf0f8 100644
--- a/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java
+++ b/services/core/java/com/android/server/pm/PackageInstallerService.java
@@ -332,7 +332,10 @@ public class PackageInstallerService extends IPackageInstaller.Stub implements
                     // Their staging dirs will be removed too
                     PackageInstallerSession root = !session.hasParentSessionId()
                             ? session : mSessions.get(session.getParentSessionId());
-                    if (!root.isDestroyed() && 
+                    if (root == null) {
+                        Slog.e(TAG, "freeStageDirs: found an orphaned session: "
+                                + session.sessionId + " parent=" + session.getParentSessionId());
+                    } else if (!root.isDestroyed() && 
                             (!root.isStaged() || (root.isStaged() && root.isStagedSessionReady()))) 
                     {
                         root.abandon();