diff --git a/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/driver/pulsar/ops/ReadyPulsarOp.java b/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/driver/pulsar/ops/ReadyPulsarOp.java
index de26f15cc..03c5bbdd3 100644
--- a/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/driver/pulsar/ops/ReadyPulsarOp.java
+++ b/driver-pulsar/src/main/java/io/nosqlbench/driver/pulsar/ops/ReadyPulsarOp.java
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import org.apache.commons.lang3.BooleanUtils;
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.LogManager;
 import org.apache.logging.log4j.Logger;
+import org.apache.pulsar.client.admin.Namespaces;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.admin.PulsarAdmin;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.admin.PulsarAdminException;
+import org.apache.pulsar.client.admin.Topics;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.Producer;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.Consumer;
 import org.apache.pulsar.client.api.Reader;
@@ -451,27 +453,32 @@ public class ReadyPulsarOp implements OpDispenser<PulsarOp> {
             (l) -> clientSpace.getTransactionSupplier(); //TODO make it dependant on current cycle?
 
         LongFunction<Boolean> topicMsgDedupFunc = (l) -> {
-            String topic = topic_uri_func.apply(l);
-            String namespace = PulsarActivityUtil.getFullNamespaceName(topic);
+            String topicName = topic_uri_func.apply(l);
+            String nsName = PulsarActivityUtil.getFullNamespaceName(topicName);
             PulsarAdmin pulsarAdmin = pulsarActivity.getPulsarAdmin();
 
             // Check namespace-level deduplication setting
             // - default to broker level deduplication setting
-            boolean nsMsgDedup = brokerMsgDupFunc.apply(l);
+            //   (as expressed in NB yaml file)
+            boolean topicMsgDedup = brokerMsgDupFunc.apply(l);
             try {
-                nsMsgDedup = pulsarAdmin.namespaces().getDeduplicationStatus(namespace);
-            }
-            catch (PulsarAdminException pae) {
+                Namespaces namespaces = pulsarAdmin.namespaces();
+                if (namespaces != null) {
+                    Boolean dedupStatus = namespaces.getDeduplicationStatus(nsName);
+                    if (dedupStatus != null) topicMsgDedup = dedupStatus;
+                }
+            } catch (PulsarAdminException e) {
                 // it is fine if we're unable to check namespace level setting; use default
             }
 
             // Check topic-level deduplication setting
-            // - default to namespace level deduplication setting
-            boolean topicMsgDedup = nsMsgDedup;
             try {
-                topicMsgDedup = pulsarAdmin.topics().getDeduplicationStatus(topic);
-            }
-            catch (PulsarAdminException pae) {
+                Topics topics = pulsarAdmin.topics();
+                if (topics != null) {
+                    Boolean dedupStatus = pulsarAdmin.topics().getDeduplicationStatus(topicName);
+                    if (dedupStatus != null) topicMsgDedup = dedupStatus;
+                }
+            } catch (PulsarAdminException e) {
                 // it is fine if we're unable to check topic level setting; use default
             }