diff --git a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/impl/HostManager.java b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/impl/HostManager.java
index 46cbc0a7da..a02159c933 100644
--- a/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/impl/HostManager.java
+++ b/core/net/src/main/java/org/onosproject/net/host/impl/HostManager.java
@@ -562,6 +562,7 @@ public class HostManager
         public void hostVanished(HostId hostId) {
             checkNotNull(hostId, HOST_ID_NULL);
             checkValidity();
+            // TODO SDFAB-718 rethink HostStore APIs to allow atomic operations
             Host host = store.getHost(hostId);
 
             if (!allowedToChange(hostId)) {
@@ -569,6 +570,11 @@ public class HostManager
                 return;
             }
 
+            if (host == null) {
+                log.info("Request to remove {} is ignored due to host not present in the store", hostId);
+                return;
+            }
+
             if (monitorHosts) {
                 host.ipAddresses().forEach(ip -> {
                     monitor.stopMonitoring(ip);