diff --git a/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/openxml4j/opc/PackagingURIHelper.java b/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/openxml4j/opc/PackagingURIHelper.java
index 82cf69b32df..6d04232947c 100644
--- a/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/openxml4j/opc/PackagingURIHelper.java
+++ b/poi-ooxml/src/main/java/org/apache/poi/openxml4j/opc/PackagingURIHelper.java
@@ -165,7 +165,9 @@ public static boolean isRelationshipPartURI(URI partUri) {
         if (partUri == null)
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("partUri");
 
-        return partUri.getPath().matches(
+        final String path = partUri.getPath();
+
+        return path != null && path.matches(
                 ".*" + RELATIONSHIP_PART_SEGMENT_NAME + ".*"
                         + RELATIONSHIP_PART_EXTENSION_NAME + "$");
     }