diff --git a/packages/core/src/render3/util/discovery_utils.ts b/packages/core/src/render3/util/discovery_utils.ts
index ac03e0ede91..37d630042cb 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/render3/util/discovery_utils.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/render3/util/discovery_utils.ts
@@ -304,6 +304,9 @@ export type DirectiveDebugMetadata =
 export function getDirectiveMetadata(
   directiveOrComponentInstance: any,
 ): AngularComponentDebugMetadata | AngularDirectiveDebugMetadata | null {
+  if (!directiveOrComponentInstance) {
+    return null;
+  }
   const {constructor} = directiveOrComponentInstance;
   if (!constructor) {
     throw new Error('Unable to find the instance constructor');
diff --git a/packages/core/test/acceptance/discover_utils_spec.ts b/packages/core/test/acceptance/discover_utils_spec.ts
index b5b58bdf4ec..921d44d4e7d 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/acceptance/discover_utils_spec.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/acceptance/discover_utils_spec.ts
@@ -405,6 +405,11 @@ describe('discovery utils', () => {
       expect(metadata!.inputs).toEqual({a: 'b'});
       expect(metadata!.outputs).toEqual({c: 'd'});
     });
+
+    it('should return null when passed null or undefined', () => {
+      expect(getDirectiveMetadata(null)).toBeNull();
+      expect(getDirectiveMetadata(undefined)).toBeNull();
+    });
   });
 });