diff --git a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProvider.java b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProvider.java
index ed61e89ac..3ba3fe4c5 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProvider.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProvider.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 
 package google.registry.persistence;
 
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkState;
 import static google.registry.config.RegistryConfig.getHibernateConnectionIsolation;
 import static google.registry.config.RegistryConfig.getHibernateHikariConnectionTimeout;
 import static google.registry.config.RegistryConfig.getHibernateHikariIdleTimeout;
@@ -62,6 +63,11 @@ public class EntityManagerFactoryProvider {
     properties.put(Environment.URL, jdbcUrl);
     properties.put(Environment.USER, username);
     properties.put(Environment.PASS, password);
-    return Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory(PERSISTENCE_UNIT_NAME, properties.build());
+    EntityManagerFactory emf =
+        Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory(PERSISTENCE_UNIT_NAME, properties.build());
+    checkState(
+        emf != null,
+        "Persistence.createEntityManagerFactory() returns a null EntityManagerFactory");
+    return emf;
   }
 }
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProviderTest.java b/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProviderTest.java
index e19a49617..523642ec3 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProviderTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/google/registry/persistence/EntityManagerFactoryProviderTest.java
@@ -42,7 +42,9 @@ public class EntityManagerFactoryProviderTest {
 
   @After
   public void destroy() {
-    emf.close();
+    if (emf != null) {
+      emf.close();
+    }
     emf = null;
   }