diff --git a/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/admin/AdminUtils.java b/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/admin/AdminUtils.java
index d9b2fdfa4dc8..53fb9764e097 100644
--- a/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/admin/AdminUtils.java
+++ b/server-common/src/main/java/org/apache/kafka/admin/AdminUtils.java
@@ -130,8 +130,6 @@ public static Map<Integer, List<Integer>> assignReplicasToBrokers(Collection<Bro
             return assignReplicasToBrokersRackUnaware(nPartitions, replicationFactor, brokerMetadatas.stream().map(b -> b.id).collect(Collectors.toList()), fixedStartIndex,
                 startPartitionId);
         else {
-            if (brokerMetadatas.stream().anyMatch(b -> !b.rack.isPresent()))
-                throw new AdminOperationException("Not all brokers have rack information for replica rack aware assignment.");
             return assignReplicasToBrokersRackAware(nPartitions, replicationFactor, brokerMetadatas, fixedStartIndex,
                 startPartitionId);
         }
@@ -166,7 +164,7 @@ private static Map<Integer, List<Integer>> assignReplicasToBrokersRackAware(int
                                                                                 int fixedStartIndex,
                                                                                 int startPartitionId) {
         Map<Integer, String> brokerRackMap = new HashMap<>();
-        brokerMetadatas.forEach(m -> brokerRackMap.put(m.id, m.rack.orElse(null)));
+        brokerMetadatas.forEach(m -> brokerRackMap.put(m.id, m.rack.orElseThrow(() -> new AdminOperationException("Not all brokers have rack information for replica rack aware assignment."))));
         int numRacks = new HashSet<>(brokerRackMap.values()).size();
         List<Integer> arrangedBrokerList = getRackAlternatedBrokerList(brokerRackMap);
         int numBrokers = arrangedBrokerList.size();