diff --git a/src/OrchardCore.Modules/OrchardCore.Search.Elasticsearch/Startup.cs b/src/OrchardCore.Modules/OrchardCore.Search.Elasticsearch/Startup.cs
index ffc8825f1e3..9f1a6b79d20 100644
--- a/src/OrchardCore.Modules/OrchardCore.Search.Elasticsearch/Startup.cs
+++ b/src/OrchardCore.Modules/OrchardCore.Search.Elasticsearch/Startup.cs
@@ -254,7 +254,7 @@ private static bool CheckOptions(ElasticConnectionOptions elasticConnectionOptio
                 optionsAreValid = false;
             }
 
-            if (elasticConnectionOptions.Ports.Length == 0)
+            if (elasticConnectionOptions.Ports?.Length == 0)
             {
                 logger.LogError("Elasticsearch is enabled but not active because a port is missing in application configuration.");
                 optionsAreValid = false;