diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/lb/LoadBalancingRulesManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/lb/LoadBalancingRulesManagerImpl.java
index 238c2fcebda..b193694e254 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/lb/LoadBalancingRulesManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/lb/LoadBalancingRulesManagerImpl.java
@@ -459,13 +459,14 @@ public class LoadBalancingRulesManagerImpl implements LoadBalancingRulesManager,
             }
             throw new CloudRuntimeException("Unable to add rule for ip address id=" + newRule.getSourceIpAddressId(), e);
         } finally {
-            if (!success) {
-                txn.start();
-                //no need to apply the rule as it wasn't programmed on the backend yet
+            if (!success && newRule != null) {
+                
+                txn.start();                
                 _firewallMgr.revokeRelatedFirewallRule(newRule.getId(), false);
                 _lbDao.remove(newRule.getId());
+                
                 txn.commit();
-
+                
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/server/src/com/cloud/network/rules/RulesManagerImpl.java b/server/src/com/cloud/network/rules/RulesManagerImpl.java
index 8ba464f5728..ca7c4e34d08 100755
--- a/server/src/com/cloud/network/rules/RulesManagerImpl.java
+++ b/server/src/com/cloud/network/rules/RulesManagerImpl.java
@@ -223,12 +223,16 @@ public class RulesManagerImpl implements RulesManager, RulesService, Manager {
             return newRule;
         } catch (Exception e) {
             
-            txn.start();
-            //no need to apply the rule as it wasn't programmed on the backend yet
-            _firewallMgr.revokeRelatedFirewallRule(newRule.getId(), false);
-            _forwardingDao.remove(newRule.getId());
-            
-            txn.commit();
+           
+            if (newRule != null) {
+                
+                txn.start();
+                //no need to apply the rule as it wasn't programmed on the backend yet
+                _firewallMgr.revokeRelatedFirewallRule(newRule.getId(), false);
+                _forwardingDao.remove(newRule.getId());
+                
+                txn.commit();
+            }
             
             if (e instanceof NetworkRuleConflictException) {
                 throw (NetworkRuleConflictException) e;
@@ -292,12 +296,14 @@ public class RulesManagerImpl implements RulesManager, RulesService, Manager {
             return staticNatRule;
         } catch (Exception e) {
             
-            txn.start();
-            //no need to apply the rule as it wasn't programmed on the backend yet
-            _firewallMgr.revokeRelatedFirewallRule(newRule.getId(), false);
-            _forwardingDao.remove(newRule.getId()); 
-            txn.commit();
-            
+            if (newRule != null) {
+                txn.start();
+                //no need to apply the rule as it wasn't programmed on the backend yet
+                _firewallMgr.revokeRelatedFirewallRule(newRule.getId(), false);
+                _forwardingDao.remove(newRule.getId()); 
+                txn.commit();
+            }
+           
             if (e instanceof NetworkRuleConflictException) {
                 throw (NetworkRuleConflictException) e;
             }