diff --git a/statefun-flink/statefun-flink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/statefun/flink/core/functions/FunctionGroupOperator.java b/statefun-flink/statefun-flink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/statefun/flink/core/functions/FunctionGroupOperator.java
index 9cc0818..381a672 100644
--- a/statefun-flink/statefun-flink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/statefun/flink/core/functions/FunctionGroupOperator.java
+++ b/statefun-flink/statefun-flink-core/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/statefun/flink/core/functions/FunctionGroupOperator.java
@@ -184,6 +184,12 @@
   }
 
   private void closeOrDispose() {
+    final List<ManagingResources> managingResources = this.managingResources;
+    if (managingResources == null) {
+      // dispose can be called before state initialization was completed (for example a failure
+      // during initialization).
+      return;
+    }
     for (ManagingResources withResources : managingResources) {
       try {
         withResources.shutdown();