diff --git a/db/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl.cc
index becc8e8e224..4ae2ed4d530 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl.cc
@@ -3654,8 +3654,13 @@ Status DBImpl::StartTrace(const TraceOptions& trace_options,
 
 Status DBImpl::EndTrace() {
   InstrumentedMutexLock lock(&trace_mutex_);
-  Status s = tracer_->Close();
-  tracer_.reset();
+  Status s;
+  if (tracer_ != nullptr) {
+    s = tracer_->Close();
+    tracer_.reset();
+  } else {
+    return Status::IOError("No trace file to close");
+  }
   return s;
 }
 
diff --git a/db/db_test2.cc b/db/db_test2.cc
index b62a1d5773b..99bf9bb7642 100644
--- a/db/db_test2.cc
+++ b/db/db_test2.cc
@@ -2874,6 +2874,8 @@ TEST_F(DBTest2, TraceAndReplay) {
   Random rnd(301);
   Iterator* single_iter = nullptr;
 
+  ASSERT_TRUE(db_->EndTrace().IsIOError());
+
   std::string trace_filename = dbname_ + "/rocksdb.trace";
   std::unique_ptr<TraceWriter> trace_writer;
   ASSERT_OK(NewFileTraceWriter(env_, env_opts, trace_filename, &trace_writer));