diff --git a/rules/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveNullTagValueNodeRector.php b/rules/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveNullTagValueNodeRector.php
index f5f465482b9..8d5dcc5a974 100644
--- a/rules/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveNullTagValueNodeRector.php
+++ b/rules/DeadCode/Rector/ClassMethod/RemoveNullTagValueNodeRector.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 namespace Rector\DeadCode\Rector\ClassMethod;
 
+use PhpParser\Comment\Doc;
 use PhpParser\Node;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\ClassMethod;
 use PhpParser\Node\Stmt\Expression;
@@ -80,6 +81,11 @@ public function getNodeTypes(): array
      */
     public function refactor(Node $node): ?Node
     {
+        // null param/return/var tags can only live in a docblock; skip nodes without one
+        if (!$node->getDocComment() instanceof Doc) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
         if ($node instanceof Expression || $node instanceof Property) {
             return $this->processVarTagNull($node);
         }