diff --git a/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/client/HttpClient.java b/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/client/HttpClient.java
index dd5b52436c..626d15dbff 100644
--- a/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/client/HttpClient.java
+++ b/reactor-netty-http/src/main/java/reactor/netty/http/client/HttpClient.java
@@ -1596,9 +1596,11 @@ static boolean isCompressing(HttpHeaders h) {
 	}
 
 	static String reactorNettyVersion() {
-		return Optional.ofNullable(HttpClient.class.getPackage()
-		                                           .getImplementationVersion())
-		               .orElse("dev");
+		Package pac = HttpClient.class.getPackage();
+		if (pac == null) {
+			return "dev";
+		}
+		return Optional.ofNullable(pac.getImplementationVersion()).orElse("dev");
 	}
 
 	static final Logger log = Loggers.getLogger(HttpClient.class);