--- old/src/hotspot/share/prims/jvm.cpp	2020-03-08 18:58:33.327676672 -0400
+++ new/src/hotspot/share/prims/jvm.cpp	2020-03-08 18:58:32.170663851 -0400
@@ -1017,7 +1017,7 @@
 
   InstanceKlass* host_class = NULL;
   if (is_nestmate) {
-    host_class = InstanceKlass::cast(lookup_k)->nest_host(THREAD);
+    host_class = InstanceKlass::cast(lookup_k)->nest_host(CHECK_NULL);
   }
 
   if (log_is_enabled(Info, class, nestmates)) {
@@ -2052,8 +2052,8 @@
   assert(c->is_instance_klass(), "must be");
   InstanceKlass* ck = InstanceKlass::cast(c);
   InstanceKlass* host = ck->nest_host(THREAD);
-  assert(host != NULL, "host should never be NULL");
-  return (jclass) JNIHandles::make_local(THREAD, host->java_mirror());
+  return (jclass) (host == NULL ? NULL :
+                   JNIHandles::make_local(THREAD, host->java_mirror()));
 }
 JVM_END
 
@@ -2094,6 +2094,9 @@
         int cp_index = members->at(i);
         Klass* k = host->constants()->klass_at(cp_index, THREAD);
         if (HAS_PENDING_EXCEPTION) {
+          if (PENDING_EXCEPTION->is_a(SystemDictionary::VirtualMachineError_klass())) {
+            return NULL; // propagate VMEs
+          }
           if (doLog) {
             ResourceMark rm(THREAD);
             stringStream ss;
@@ -2107,7 +2110,7 @@
         }
         if (k->is_instance_klass()) {
           InstanceKlass* ik = InstanceKlass::cast(k);
-          InstanceKlass* nest_host_k = ik->nest_host(THREAD);
+          InstanceKlass* nest_host_k = ik->nest_host(CHECK_NULL);
           if (nest_host_k == host) {
             result->obj_at_put(count+1, k->java_mirror());
             count++;