diff --git a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/core/server/internal/UpgradeHttpServletRequest.java b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/core/server/internal/UpgradeHttpServletRequest.java
index e647cb5984d7..e27fe7a7501d 100644
--- a/jetty-websocket/websocket-core-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/core/server/internal/UpgradeHttpServletRequest.java
+++ b/jetty-websocket/websocket-core-server/src/main/java/org/eclipse/jetty/websocket/core/server/internal/UpgradeHttpServletRequest.java
@@ -430,7 +430,8 @@ public void setAttribute(String name, Object value)
     {
         if (request == null)
             attributes.put(name, value);
-        request.setAttribute(name, value);
+        else
+            request.setAttribute(name, value);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -438,7 +439,8 @@ public void removeAttribute(String name)
     {
         if (request == null)
             attributes.remove(name);
-        request.removeAttribute(name);
+        else
+            request.removeAttribute(name);
     }
 
     @Override