diff --git a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronized.java b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronized.java
index 5d7931857d4..f46a0859636 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronized.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronized.java
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ public Boolean visitBlock(BlockTree tree, Void unused) {
           @Override
           public Boolean visitReturn(ReturnTree tree, Void unused) {
             ExpressionTree expression = tree.getExpression();
-            if (constantExpressions.constantExpression(expression, state).isPresent()) {
+            if (expression == null
+                || constantExpressions.constantExpression(expression, state).isPresent()) {
               return true;
             }
             return scan(tree.getExpression(), null);
diff --git a/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronizedTest.java b/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronizedTest.java
index 1785d4de1bf..ce97355f5ff 100644
--- a/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronizedTest.java
+++ b/core/src/test/java/com/google/errorprone/bugpatterns/UnsynchronizedOverridesSynchronizedTest.java
@@ -157,6 +157,11 @@ public void ignoreEmptyOverride() {
             "      super.f();",
             "    }",
             "  }",
+            "  class D extends Lib {",
+            "    public void f() {",
+            "      return;",
+            "    }",
+            "  }",
             "}")
         .doTest();
   }