diff --git a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/SettingsTools.java b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/SettingsTools.java
index c70fcbd905..bff4a2e8c7 100644
--- a/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/SettingsTools.java
+++ b/jOOQ/src/main/java/org/jooq/conf/SettingsTools.java
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ public final class SettingsTools {
      */
     public static final Settings clone(Settings settings) {
         Settings result = (Settings) settings.clone();
-        result.renderFormatting = (RenderFormatting) result.renderFormatting.clone();
+
+        if (result.renderFormatting != null)
+            result.renderFormatting = (RenderFormatting) result.renderFormatting.clone();
+
         return result;
     }