diff --git a/geronimo-transaction/src/main/java/org/apache/geronimo/transaction/manager/RecoverTask.java b/geronimo-transaction/src/main/java/org/apache/geronimo/transaction/manager/RecoverTask.java
index f55cac0..65126b7 100644
--- a/geronimo-transaction/src/main/java/org/apache/geronimo/transaction/manager/RecoverTask.java
+++ b/geronimo-transaction/src/main/java/org/apache/geronimo/transaction/manager/RecoverTask.java
@@ -47,10 +47,12 @@
     public void run() {
         try {
             NamedXAResource namedXAResource = namedXAResourceFactory.getNamedXAResource();
-            try {
-                recovery.recoverResourceManager(namedXAResource);
-            } finally {
-                namedXAResourceFactory.returnNamedXAResource(namedXAResource);
+            if (namedXAResource != null) {
+                try {
+                    recovery.recoverResourceManager(namedXAResource);
+                } finally {
+                    namedXAResourceFactory.returnNamedXAResource(namedXAResource);
+                }
             }
             return;
         } catch (XAException e) {