diff --git a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
index a931159ea211..af410cfc1b3c 100644
--- a/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/main/java/com/cloud/vm/UserVmManagerImpl.java
@@ -3888,7 +3888,7 @@ private void checkIfHostNameUniqueInNtwkDomain(String hostName, List<? extends N
                 // * verify that there are no duplicates
                 if (hostNames.contains(hostName)) {
                     throw new InvalidParameterValueException("The vm with hostName " + hostName + " already exists in the network domain: " + ntwkDomain.getKey() + "; network="
-                            + _networkModel.getNetwork(ntwkId));
+                            + (_networkModel.getNetwork(ntwkId) != null) ? _networkModel.getNetwork(ntwkId).getName()) : "<unknown>";
                 }
             }
         }