diff --git a/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java b/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
index 2585cbcde..1029ea031 100644
--- a/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
+++ b/spring-data-jpa/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/jpa/repository/support/SimpleJpaRepository.java
@@ -829,6 +829,10 @@ public class SimpleJpaRepository<T, ID> implements JpaRepositoryImplementation<T
 
 	private void applyQueryHints(Query query) {
 
+		if (metadata == null) {
+			return;
+		}
+
 		getQueryHints().withFetchGraphs(em).forEach(query::setHint);
 
 		if (metadata.getComment() != null && provider.getCommentHintKey() != null) {
@@ -849,6 +853,10 @@ public class SimpleJpaRepository<T, ID> implements JpaRepositoryImplementation<T
 
 	private void applyQueryHintsForCount(Query query) {
 
+		if (metadata == null) {
+			return;
+		}
+
 		getQueryHintsForCount().forEach(query::setHint);
 
 		if (metadata.getComment() != null && provider.getCommentHintKey() != null) {