diff --git a/zeppelin-interpreter/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterOption.java b/zeppelin-interpreter/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterOption.java
index f7b17e362e6..a487ab0b6db 100644
--- a/zeppelin-interpreter/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterOption.java
+++ b/zeppelin-interpreter/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterOption.java
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public void setUserPermission(boolean setPermission) {
   }
 
   public List<String> getOwners() {
-    if (null != owners && zConf.isUsernameForceLowerCase()) {
+    if (null != owners && zConf != null && zConf.isUsernameForceLowerCase()) {
       List<String> lowerCaseUsers = new ArrayList<>();
       for (String owner : owners) {
         lowerCaseUsers.add(owner.toLowerCase());
diff --git a/zeppelin-zengine/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterSetting.java b/zeppelin-zengine/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterSetting.java
index 2adaa55a42b..4181ff761ec 100644
--- a/zeppelin-zengine/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterSetting.java
+++ b/zeppelin-zengine/src/main/java/org/apache/zeppelin/interpreter/InterpreterSetting.java
@@ -699,6 +699,10 @@ public InterpreterOption getOption() {
 
   public void setOption(InterpreterOption option) {
     this.option = option;
+    // Ensure zConf is set for the new option to avoid NullPointerException
+    if (this.zConf != null) {
+      this.option.setConf(this.zConf);
+    }
   }
 
   public String getInterpreterDir() {