package testapp; import javax.ejb.EJB; import javax.ejb.Stateless; import javax.interceptor.Interceptors; @Stateless(mappedName = "ssBean1") public class ssBean1Bean implements ssBean1Remote { //comment these two lines out and the NPE exception is not thrown in TestInterceptor @EJB(name = "ssBean2") private ssBean2Remote ssBean2; @Interceptors(testapp.TestInterceptor.class) public void Test() { System.out.println("This is the test method"); } }