diff --git a/pulsar-common/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/common/util/SecurityUtility.java b/pulsar-common/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/common/util/SecurityUtility.java
index ec55f5349110c..faefc8adcd78e 100644
--- a/pulsar-common/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/common/util/SecurityUtility.java
+++ b/pulsar-common/src/main/java/org/apache/pulsar/common/util/SecurityUtility.java
@@ -422,12 +422,12 @@ public static X509Certificate[] loadCertificatesFromPemStream(InputStream inStre
     }
 
     public static PrivateKey loadPrivateKeyFromPemFile(String keyFilePath) throws KeyManagementException {
-        PrivateKey privateKey = null;
-
         if (keyFilePath == null || keyFilePath.isEmpty()) {
-            return privateKey;
+            return null;
         }
 
+        PrivateKey privateKey;
+
         try (FileInputStream input = new FileInputStream(keyFilePath)) {
             privateKey = loadPrivateKeyFromPemStream(input);
         } catch (IOException e) {
@@ -438,12 +438,12 @@ public static PrivateKey loadPrivateKeyFromPemFile(String keyFilePath) throws Ke
     }
 
     public static PrivateKey loadPrivateKeyFromPemStream(InputStream inStream) throws KeyManagementException {
-        PrivateKey privateKey = null;
-
         if (inStream == null) {
-            return privateKey;
+            return null;
         }
 
+        PrivateKey privateKey;
+
         try (BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(inStream, StandardCharsets.UTF_8))) {
             if (inStream.markSupported()) {
                 inStream.reset();