diff --git a/src/main/java/eu/europa/ec/dgc/gateway/connector/DgcGatewayDownloadConnector.java b/src/main/java/eu/europa/ec/dgc/gateway/connector/DgcGatewayDownloadConnector.java
index a407df6..8371bb2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/eu/europa/ec/dgc/gateway/connector/DgcGatewayDownloadConnector.java
+++ b/src/main/java/eu/europa/ec/dgc/gateway/connector/DgcGatewayDownloadConnector.java
@@ -214,6 +214,10 @@ private boolean checkUploadCertificate(TrustListItemDto trustListItem) {
             new SignedCertificateMessageParser(trustListItem.getSignature(), trustListItem.getRawData());
         X509CertificateHolder uploadCertificate = parser.getSigningCertificate();
 
+        if (uploadCertificate == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         return trustedUploadCertificates
             .stream()
             .anyMatch(uploadCertificate::equals);