Jira is not starting post upgrade with a NullPointerException - PropertiesBasedDeserializationFilterConfigurator.getCurrentSerialFilterClass
Platform Notice: Data Center Only - This article only applies to Atlassian apps on the Data Center platform.
Note that this KB was created for the Data Center version of the product. Data Center KBs for non-Data-Center-specific features may also work for Server versions of the product, however they have not been tested. Support for Server* products ended on February 15th 2024. If you are running a Server product, you can visit the Atlassian Server end of support announcement to review your migration options.
*Except Fisheye and Crucible
Summary
After upgrading Jira to v9.12., Jira is failing to start with a fatal error when using Java 8
Environment
9.4, 9.12, Java 8
Diagnosis
Error Seen
Level: Fatal
Exception:
java.lang.NullPointerException at com.atlassian.jira.security.PropertiesBasedDeserializationFilterConfigurator.getCurrentSerialFilterClass(PropertiesBasedDeserializationFilterConfigurator.java:85) at com.atlassian.jira.security.PropertiesBasedDeserializationFilterConfigurator.configureSerialFilter(PropertiesBasedDeserializationFilterConfigurator.java:31) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.DeserializationFilterLauncher.start(DeserializationFilterLauncher.java:22) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.DefaultJiraLauncher.postDBActivated(DefaultJiraLauncher.java:172) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.DefaultJiraLauncher.lambda$postDbLaunch$2(DefaultJiraLauncher.java:150) at com.atlassian.jira.config.database.DatabaseConfigurationManagerImpl.doNowOrEnqueue(DatabaseConfigurationManagerImpl.java:305) at com.atlassian.jira.config.database.DatabaseConfigurationManagerImpl.doNowOrWhenDatabaseActivated(DatabaseConfigurationManagerImpl.java:202) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.DefaultJiraLauncher.postDbLaunch(DefaultJiraLauncher.java:141) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.DefaultJiraLauncher.lambda$start$0(DefaultJiraLauncher.java:107) at com.atlassian.jira.util.devspeed.JiraDevSpeedTimer.run(JiraDevSpeedTimer.java:31) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.DefaultJiraLauncher.start(DefaultJiraLauncher.java:105) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.LauncherContextListener.initSlowStuff(LauncherContextListener.java:154) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.LauncherContextListener.initSlowStuffInBackground(LauncherContextListener.java:139) at com.atlassian.jira.startup.LauncherContextListener.contextInitialized(LauncherContextListener.java:101) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.listenerStart(StandardContext.java:4007) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardContext.startInternal(StandardContext.java:4448) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:164) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1203) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1193) at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266) at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75) at java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:134) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:749) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardHost.startInternal(StandardHost.java:721) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:164) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1203) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase$StartChild.call(ContainerBase.java:1193) at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266) at org.apache.tomcat.util.threads.InlineExecutorService.execute(InlineExecutorService.java:75) at java.util.concurrent.AbstractExecutorService.submit(AbstractExecutorService.java:134) at org.apache.catalina.core.ContainerBase.startInternal(ContainerBase.java:749) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardEngine.startInternal(StandardEngine.java:211) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:164) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardService.startInternal(StandardService.java:415) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:164) at org.apache.catalina.core.StandardServer.startInternal(StandardServer.java:878) at org.apache.catalina.util.LifecycleBase.start(LifecycleBase.java:164) at org.apache.catalina.startup.Catalina.start(Catalina.java:735) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method) at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:62) at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43) at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:498) at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.start(Bootstrap.java:345) at org.apache.catalina.startup.Bootstrap.main(Bootstrap.java:473)
Cause
Java 8 fails on startup to serialize properties. Exact cause outside of Java 8 being involved is still being investigated.
Solution
Swap Jira to Java 11 or 17 and remove excess parameters from the JVM arguments. Once Java has been swapped, restart Jira.
Updated on September 26, 2025
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