diff --git a/compiler/optimizing/instruction_builder.cc b/compiler/optimizing/instruction_builder.cc
index aaddc01..5e691c7 100644
--- a/compiler/optimizing/instruction_builder.cc
+++ b/compiler/optimizing/instruction_builder.cc
@@ -1204,7 +1204,12 @@
       compiler_driver_->ComputeInstanceFieldInfo(field_index, dex_compilation_unit_, is_put, soa);
 
 
-  HInstruction* object = LoadNullCheckedLocal(obj_reg, dex_pc);
+  // Generate an explicit null check on the reference, unless the field access
+  // is unresolved. In that case, we rely on the runtime to perform various
+  // checks first, followed by a null check.
+  HInstruction* object = (resolved_field == nullptr)
+      ? LoadLocal(obj_reg, Primitive::kPrimNot)
+      : LoadNullCheckedLocal(obj_reg, dex_pc);
 
   Primitive::Type field_type = (resolved_field == nullptr)
       ? GetFieldAccessType(*dex_file_, field_index)
diff --git a/test/529-checker-unresolved/src/Main.java b/test/529-checker-unresolved/src/Main.java
index 872fa6d..a934377 100644
--- a/test/529-checker-unresolved/src/Main.java
+++ b/test/529-checker-unresolved/src/Main.java
@@ -114,6 +114,21 @@
     expectEquals(o, c.instanceObject);
   }
 
+  static public void callUnresolvedNull(UnresolvedClass c) {
+    int x = 0;
+    try {
+      x = c.instanceInt;
+      throw new Error("Expected NPE");
+    } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+    }
+    expectEquals(0, x);
+    try {
+      c.instanceInt = -1;
+      throw new Error("Expected NPE");
+    } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+    }
+  }
+
   static public void testInstanceOf(Object o) {
     if (o instanceof UnresolvedSuperClass) {
       System.out.println("instanceof ok");
@@ -136,6 +151,7 @@
     callInvokeUnresolvedSuper(m);
     callUnresolvedStaticFieldAccess();
     callUnresolvedInstanceFieldAccess(c);
+    callUnresolvedNull(null);
     testInstanceOf(m);
     testCheckCast(m);
     testLicm(2);
@@ -185,7 +201,7 @@
     }
   }
 
-    public static void expectEquals(float expected, float result) {
+  public static void expectEquals(float expected, float result) {
     if (expected != result) {
       throw new Error("Expected: " + expected + ", found: " + result);
     }
diff --git a/test/600-verifier-fails/expected.txt b/test/600-verifier-fails/expected.txt
index e06fe1d..010f1b7 100644
--- a/test/600-verifier-fails/expected.txt
+++ b/test/600-verifier-fails/expected.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,3 @@
 passed A
 passed B
+passed C
diff --git a/test/600-verifier-fails/info.txt b/test/600-verifier-fails/info.txt
index 781b922..677b477 100644
--- a/test/600-verifier-fails/info.txt
+++ b/test/600-verifier-fails/info.txt
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@
 (1) b/28908555:
     soft verification fail (on the final field modification) should
     not hide the hard verification fail (on the type mismatch) to
-    avoid compiler crash later on.
+    avoid compiler crash later on
 (2) b/29070461:
     hard failure (not calling super in constructor) should bail
     immediately and not allow soft fails to pile up behind it to
     avoid fatal message later on
+(3) b/29068831:
+    access validation should occur prior to null reference check
 
diff --git a/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/iput.smali b/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/iput.smali
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bd8b928
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/iput.smali
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2016 The Android Open Source Project
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+.class public LC;
+.super Ljava/lang/Object;
+
+.method public constructor <init>()V
+    .registers 2
+    invoke-direct {v1}, Ljava/lang/Object;-><init>()V
+    const v0, 0
+    iput-object v0, v0, LMain;->staticPrivateField:Ljava/lang/String;
+    return-void
+.end method
diff --git a/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/sput.smali b/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/sput.smali
index 87f3799..e8e56ac 100644
--- a/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/sput.smali
+++ b/test/600-verifier-fails/smali/sput.smali
@@ -18,6 +18,6 @@
 
 .method public foo(I)V
 .registers 2
-    sput v1, LMain;->staticField:Ljava/lang/String;
+    sput v1, LMain;->staticFinalField:Ljava/lang/String;
     return-void
 .end method
diff --git a/test/600-verifier-fails/src/Main.java b/test/600-verifier-fails/src/Main.java
index 70873b2..0a8c5a1 100644
--- a/test/600-verifier-fails/src/Main.java
+++ b/test/600-verifier-fails/src/Main.java
@@ -16,18 +16,22 @@
 
 public class Main {
 
-  public static final String staticField = null;
+  public static final String staticFinalField = null;
+
+  private static String staticPrivateField = null;
+
+  private static void test(String name) throws Exception {
+    try {
+      Class<?> a = Class.forName(name);
+      a.newInstance();
+    } catch (java.lang.LinkageError e) {
+      System.out.println("passed " + name);
+    }
+  }
 
   public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
-    try {
-      Class<?> a = Class.forName("A");
-    } catch (java.lang.VerifyError e) {
-      System.out.println("passed A");
-    }
-    try {
-      Class<?> a = Class.forName("B");
-    } catch (java.lang.VerifyError e) {
-      System.out.println("passed B");
-    }
+    test("A");
+    test("B");
+    test("C");
   }
 }