diff --git a/pinot-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/broker/requesthandler/BrokerRequestHandlerDelegate.java b/pinot-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/broker/requesthandler/BrokerRequestHandlerDelegate.java
index b16f880c803c..b3e48f25aebd 100644
--- a/pinot-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/broker/requesthandler/BrokerRequestHandlerDelegate.java
+++ b/pinot-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/pinot/broker/requesthandler/BrokerRequestHandlerDelegate.java
@@ -88,10 +88,15 @@ public BrokerResponse handleRequest(JsonNode request, @Nullable SqlNodeAndOption
         return new BrokerResponseNative(QueryException.getException(QueryException.SQL_PARSING_ERROR, e));
       }
     }
-    if (_multiStageBrokerRequestHandler != null && QueryOptionsUtils.isUseMultistageEngine(
-        sqlNodeAndOptions.getOptions())) {
-      return _multiStageBrokerRequestHandler.handleRequest(request, sqlNodeAndOptions, requesterIdentity,
-          requestContext, httpHeaders);
+
+    if (QueryOptionsUtils.isUseMultistageEngine(sqlNodeAndOptions.getOptions())) {
+      if (_multiStageBrokerRequestHandler != null) {
+        return _multiStageBrokerRequestHandler.handleRequest(request, sqlNodeAndOptions, requesterIdentity,
+            requestContext, httpHeaders);
+      } else {
+        return new BrokerResponseNative(QueryException.getException(QueryException.INTERNAL_ERROR,
+            "V2 Multi-Stage query engine not enabled."));
+      }
     } else {
       return _singleStageBrokerRequestHandler.handleRequest(request, sqlNodeAndOptions, requesterIdentity,
           requestContext, httpHeaders);