diff --git a/src/hotspot/share/oops/oop.inline.hpp b/src/hotspot/share/oops/oop.inline.hpp
index d5cb80e1122..84327aaee39 100644
--- a/src/hotspot/share/oops/oop.inline.hpp
+++ b/src/hotspot/share/oops/oop.inline.hpp
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ Klass* oopDesc::klass_or_null() const {
 Klass* oopDesc::klass_or_null_acquire() const {
   switch (ObjLayout::klass_mode()) {
     case ObjLayout::Compact:
-      return mark_acquire().klass();
+      return mark_acquire().klass_or_null();
     case ObjLayout::Compressed: {
       narrowKlass narrow_klass = AtomicAccess::load_acquire(&_compressed_klass);
       return CompressedKlassPointers::decode(narrow_klass);