diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/objects.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/objects.scala
index ef7399e0196ab..82317d3385167 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/objects.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/expressions/objects.scala
@@ -369,6 +369,9 @@ case class MapObjects(
   private lazy val completeFunction = function(loopAttribute)
 
   private def itemAccessorMethod(dataType: DataType): String => String = dataType match {
+    case NullType =>
+      val nullTypeClassName = NullType.getClass.getName + ".MODULE$"
+      (i: String) => s".get($i, $nullTypeClassName)"
     case IntegerType => (i: String) => s".getInt($i)"
     case LongType => (i: String) => s".getLong($i)"
     case FloatType => (i: String) => s".getFloat($i)"
diff --git a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/RowEncoderSuite.scala b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/RowEncoderSuite.scala
index 46c6e0d98d349..0ea51ece4bc5e 100644
--- a/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/RowEncoderSuite.scala
+++ b/sql/catalyst/src/test/scala/org/apache/spark/sql/catalyst/encoders/RowEncoderSuite.scala
@@ -80,11 +80,13 @@ class RowEncoderSuite extends SparkFunSuite {
   private val structOfString = new StructType().add("str", StringType)
   private val structOfUDT = new StructType().add("udt", new ExamplePointUDT, false)
   private val arrayOfString = ArrayType(StringType)
+  private val arrayOfNull = ArrayType(NullType)
   private val mapOfString = MapType(StringType, StringType)
   private val arrayOfUDT = ArrayType(new ExamplePointUDT, false)
 
   encodeDecodeTest(
     new StructType()
+      .add("null", NullType)
       .add("boolean", BooleanType)
       .add("byte", ByteType)
       .add("short", ShortType)
@@ -101,6 +103,7 @@ class RowEncoderSuite extends SparkFunSuite {
 
   encodeDecodeTest(
     new StructType()
+      .add("arrayOfNull", arrayOfNull)
       .add("arrayOfString", arrayOfString)
       .add("arrayOfArrayOfString", ArrayType(arrayOfString))
       .add("arrayOfArrayOfInt", ArrayType(ArrayType(IntegerType)))