diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/util/collection/unsafe/sort/UnsafeInMemorySorter.java b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/util/collection/unsafe/sort/UnsafeInMemorySorter.java
index b7ab45675ee1e..604fc3fb4cf9a 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/util/collection/unsafe/sort/UnsafeInMemorySorter.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/apache/spark/util/collection/unsafe/sort/UnsafeInMemorySorter.java
@@ -111,8 +111,10 @@ public UnsafeInMemorySorter(
    * Free the memory used by pointer array.
    */
   public void free() {
-    consumer.freeArray(array);
-    array = null;
+    if (consumer != null) {
+      consumer.freeArray(array);
+      array = null;
+    }
   }
 
   public void reset() {