diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Matcher.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Matcher.java
index 8862e02b190..97a38a33d8c 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Matcher.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Matcher.java
@@ -1070,10 +1070,11 @@ public final class Matcher implements MatchResult {
                             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
                                     "capturing group name {" + gname +
                                             "} starts with digit character");
-                        if (!namedGroups().containsKey(gname))
+                        Integer number = namedGroups().get(gname);
+                        if (number == null)
                             throw new IllegalArgumentException(
                                     "No group with name {" + gname + "}");
-                        refNum = namedGroups().get(gname);
+                        refNum = number;
                         cursor++;
                     } else {
                         // The first number is always a group
@@ -1805,9 +1806,10 @@ public final class Matcher implements MatchResult {
     int getMatchedGroupIndex(String name) {
         Objects.requireNonNull(name, "Group name");
         checkMatch();
-        if (!namedGroups().containsKey(name))
+        Integer number = namedGroups().get(name);
+        if (number == null)
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("No group with name <" + name + ">");
-        return namedGroups().get(name);
+        return number;
     }
 
     private void checkGroup(int group) {
diff --git a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Pattern.java b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Pattern.java
index 5a365a40c9f..45c48ddab54 100644
--- a/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Pattern.java
+++ b/src/java.base/share/classes/java/util/regex/Pattern.java
@@ -2712,14 +2712,15 @@ loop:   for(int x=0, offset=0; x<nCodePoints; x++, offset+=len) {
             if (read() != '<')
                 throw error("\\k is not followed by '<' for named capturing group");
             String name = groupname(read());
-            if (!namedGroupsMap().containsKey(name))
+            Integer number = namedGroupsMap().get(name);
+            if (number == null)
                 throw error("named capturing group <" + name + "> does not exist");
             if (create) {
                 hasGroupRef = true;
                 if (has(CASE_INSENSITIVE))
-                    root = new CIBackRef(namedGroupsMap().get(name), has(UNICODE_CASE));
+                    root = new CIBackRef(number, has(UNICODE_CASE));
                 else
-                    root = new BackRef(namedGroupsMap().get(name));
+                    root = new BackRef(number);
             }
             return -1;
         case 'l':