diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java
index 797a7f9f82e..77e0bbc6129 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/lang/Thread.java
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright (c) 1994, 2021, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * Copyright (c) 1994, 2022, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
  * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
  *
  * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
@@ -1976,8 +1976,8 @@ public class Thread implements Runnable {
      * @return the uncaught exception handler for this thread
      */
     public UncaughtExceptionHandler getUncaughtExceptionHandler() {
-        return uncaughtExceptionHandler != null ?
-            uncaughtExceptionHandler : group;
+        UncaughtExceptionHandler handler = this.uncaughtExceptionHandler;
+        return handler != null ? handler : group;
     }
 
     /**