diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ScriptRunnerCreator.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ScriptRunnerCreator.java
index 7982f6729..d9f14f7f3 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ScriptRunnerCreator.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/util/ScriptRunnerCreator.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.EnumMap;
 import java.util.EnumSet;
 import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Objects;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 
@@ -154,7 +155,8 @@ public class ScriptRunnerCreator {
             managers = EnumSet.of(manager);
         }
         return managers.stream().map(RUNNER_FACTORIES::get)
-            .map(f -> f.getRunner(project, language, classLoader)).findFirst()
+            .map(f -> f.getRunner(project, language, classLoader)).filter(Objects::nonNull)
+            .findFirst()
             .orElseThrow(() -> new BuildException(
                 managers.stream().map(RUNNER_FACTORIES::get).map(f -> f.managerClass).collect(
                     Collectors.joining("|", "Unable to load script engine manager (", ")"))));