diff --git a/ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java b/ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
index 3ad4f9539..8449e1172 100644
--- a/ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
+++ b/ebean-core/src/main/java/io/ebeaninternal/server/core/DefaultServer.java
@@ -691,7 +691,11 @@ public final class DefaultServer implements SpiServer, SpiEbeanServer {
 
   @Override
   public void register(TransactionCallback transactionCallback) {
-    currentTransaction().register(transactionCallback);
+    Transaction transaction = currentTransaction();
+    if (transaction == null) {
+      throw new PersistenceException("Not currently active transaction when trying to register transactionCallback");
+    }
+    transaction.register(transactionCallback);
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/ebean-test/src/test/java/org/tests/transaction/TestTransactionCallback.java b/ebean-test/src/test/java/org/tests/transaction/TestTransactionCallback.java
index cce91acc0..3135fa42f 100644
--- a/ebean-test/src/test/java/org/tests/transaction/TestTransactionCallback.java
+++ b/ebean-test/src/test/java/org/tests/transaction/TestTransactionCallback.java
@@ -72,12 +72,12 @@ public class TestTransactionCallback extends BaseTestCase {
 
   @Test
   public void test_noActiveTransaction() {
-    assertThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> DB.register(new MyCallback()));
+    assertThrows(PersistenceException.class, () -> DB.register(new MyCallback()));
   }
 
   @Test
   public void test_noActiveTransaction_withDatabase() {
-    assertThrows(NullPointerException.class, () -> DB.getDefault().register(new MyCallback()));
+    assertThrows(PersistenceException.class, () -> DB.getDefault().register(new MyCallback()));
   }
 
   class MyCallback extends TransactionCallbackAdapter {