diff --git a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/json/patch/PatchOperation.java b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/json/patch/PatchOperation.java
index aa35ea499..dcf404e0e 100644
--- a/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/json/patch/PatchOperation.java
+++ b/spring-data-rest-webmvc/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/rest/webmvc/json/patch/PatchOperation.java
@@ -105,8 +105,6 @@ public abstract class PatchOperation {
 			try {
 				expression.setValue(target, null);
 				return value;
-			} catch (NullPointerException o_O) {
-				throw new PatchException("Path '" + removePath + "' is not nullable.", o_O);
 			} catch (SpelEvaluationException o_O) {
 				throw new PatchException("Path '" + removePath + "' is not nullable.", o_O);
 			}