diff --git a/debezium-core/src/main/java/io/debezium/relational/RelationalSnapshotChangeEventSource.java b/debezium-core/src/main/java/io/debezium/relational/RelationalSnapshotChangeEventSource.java
index afe929237..9a2c51654 100644
--- a/debezium-core/src/main/java/io/debezium/relational/RelationalSnapshotChangeEventSource.java
+++ b/debezium-core/src/main/java/io/debezium/relational/RelationalSnapshotChangeEventSource.java
@@ -434,7 +434,13 @@ protected void createSchemaChangeEventsForTables(ChangeEventSourceContext source
                 lastSnapshotRecord(snapshotContext);
             }
 
-            SchemaChangeEvent event = getCreateTableEvent(snapshotContext, snapshotContext.tables.forTable(tableId));
+            final Table table = snapshotContext.tables.forTable(tableId);
+            if (table == null) {
+                throw new DebeziumException("Unable to find relational table model for '" + tableId +
+                        "', there may be an issue with your include/exclude list configuration.");
+            }
+
+            SchemaChangeEvent event = getCreateTableEvent(snapshotContext, table);
             if (HistorizedRelationalDatabaseSchema.class.isAssignableFrom(schema.getClass()) &&
                     ((HistorizedRelationalDatabaseSchema) schema).skipSchemaChangeEvent(event)) {
                 continue;