diff --git a/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIterator.java b/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIterator.java
index 69a72c3186028..9a10af7f7f64d 100644
--- a/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIterator.java
+++ b/flink-streaming-java/src/main/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIterator.java
@@ -208,9 +208,11 @@ public void notifyOfError(Throwable error) {
             this.error = error;
 
             // this should wake up any blocking calls
-            try {
-                connectedSocket.close();
-            } catch (Throwable ignored) {
+            if (connectedSocket != null) {
+                try {
+                    connectedSocket.close();
+                } catch (Throwable ignored) {
+                }
             }
             try {
                 socket.close();
diff --git a/flink-streaming-java/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIteratorTest.java b/flink-streaming-java/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIteratorTest.java
index 63a0321851775..521f85e173aff 100644
--- a/flink-streaming-java/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIteratorTest.java
+++ b/flink-streaming-java/src/test/java/org/apache/flink/streaming/experimental/SocketStreamIteratorTest.java
@@ -104,4 +104,45 @@ public void run() {
                 .isInstanceOf(RuntimeException.class)
                 .hasMessageContaining("test");
     }
+
+    @Test
+    void testNotifyOfErrorBeforeConnection() throws Exception {
+        // Test that notifyOfError() can be called before connectedSocket is initialized
+        // (i.e., before any data has been read)
+        final SocketStreamIterator<Long> iterator =
+                new SocketStreamIterator<>(LongSerializer.INSTANCE);
+
+        // Call notifyOfError before any connection is established
+        // This should not throw NullPointerException
+        iterator.notifyOfError(new Exception("early error"));
+
+        // Verify that the iterator properly propagates the error
+        assertThatThrownBy(iterator::hasNext)
+                .isInstanceOf(RuntimeException.class)
+                .hasMessageContaining("early error");
+
+        // Clean up
+        iterator.close();
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testNotifyOfErrorMultipleTimes() throws Exception {
+        // Test that notifyOfError() handles multiple calls gracefully
+        final SocketStreamIterator<Long> iterator =
+                new SocketStreamIterator<>(LongSerializer.INSTANCE);
+
+        // First error should be recorded
+        iterator.notifyOfError(new Exception("first error"));
+
+        // Second error should be ignored (first error takes precedence)
+        iterator.notifyOfError(new Exception("second error"));
+
+        // Verify that the first error is propagated
+        assertThatThrownBy(iterator::hasNext)
+                .isInstanceOf(RuntimeException.class)
+                .hasMessageContaining("first error");
+
+        // Clean up
+        iterator.close();
+    }
 }