diff --git a/docs/pages/release_notes.md b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
index 7b65f09bea..487972b459 100644
--- a/docs/pages/release_notes.md
+++ b/docs/pages/release_notes.md
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ at <https://pmd.github.io/latest/>.
 *   java-bestpractices
     *   [#783](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/783): \[java] GuardLogStatement regression
     *   [#800](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/800): \[java] ForLoopCanBeForeach NPE when looping on `this` object
+*   java-codestyle
+    *   [#817](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/817): \[java] UnnecessaryModifierRule crashes on valid code
 *   java-design
     *   [#785](https://github.com/pmd/pmd/issues/785): \[java] NPE in DataClass rule
 
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryModifierRule.java b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryModifierRule.java
index 98501b7e7e..c615cbd06b 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryModifierRule.java
+++ b/pmd-java/src/main/java/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/UnnecessaryModifierRule.java
@@ -150,9 +150,11 @@ public class UnnecessaryModifierRule extends AbstractJavaRule {
     private boolean isSafeVarargs(final ASTMethodDeclaration node) {
         for (final ASTAnnotation annotation : node.jjtGetParent().findChildrenOfType(ASTAnnotation.class)) {
             final Node childAnnotation = annotation.jjtGetChild(0);
-            if (childAnnotation instanceof ASTMarkerAnnotation
-                    && SafeVarargs.class.isAssignableFrom(((ASTMarkerAnnotation) childAnnotation).getType())) {
-                return true;
+            if (childAnnotation instanceof ASTMarkerAnnotation) {
+                final ASTMarkerAnnotation marker = (ASTMarkerAnnotation) childAnnotation;
+                if (marker.getType() != null && SafeVarargs.class.isAssignableFrom(marker.getType())) {
+                    return true;
+                }
             }
         }
         
diff --git a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/xml/UnnecessaryModifier.xml b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/xml/UnnecessaryModifier.xml
index 78d3292930..bfab48dd58 100644
--- a/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/xml/UnnecessaryModifier.xml
+++ b/pmd-java/src/test/resources/net/sourceforge/pmd/lang/java/rule/codestyle/xml/UnnecessaryModifier.xml
@@ -585,6 +585,16 @@ public class Foo {
             // do something on fw
         }
     }
+}
+        ]]></code>
+    </test-code>
+    <test-code>
+        <description>#817 [java] UnnecessaryModifierRule crashes on valid code</description>
+        <expected-problems>0</expected-problems>
+        <code><![CDATA[
+class Foo {
+    @Bar
+    final void method() { }
 }
         ]]></code>
     </test-code>