diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
index ea9b77f778..3e1528eba4 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ Additional documentation and release notes are available at [Multiplayer Documen
 - Fixed issue where `NetworkAnimator` would log an error if there was no destination transition information. (#3384)
 - Fixed initial `NetworkTransform` spawn, ensure it uses world space. (#3361)
 - Fixed issue where `AnticipatedNetworkVariable` previous value returned by `AnticipatedNetworkVariable.OnAuthoritativeValueChanged` is updated correctly on the non-authoritative side. (#3322)
+- Fixed usage of `NetworkList` throwing exception when used without a NetworkManager in scene. (#2539)
 
 ### Changed
 
diff --git a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/NetworkVariable/Collections/NetworkList.cs b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/NetworkVariable/Collections/NetworkList.cs
index eaf06bbb67..f85b919e22 100644
--- a/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/NetworkVariable/Collections/NetworkList.cs
+++ b/com.unity.netcode.gameobjects/Runtime/NetworkVariable/Collections/NetworkList.cs
@@ -425,7 +425,7 @@ public IEnumerator<T> GetEnumerator()
         public void Add(T item)
         {
             // check write permissions
-            if (!CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
+            if (m_NetworkBehaviour && !CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
             {
                 LogWritePermissionError();
                 return;
@@ -452,7 +452,7 @@ public void Add(T item)
         public void Clear()
         {
             // check write permissions
-            if (!CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
+            if (m_NetworkBehaviour && !CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
             {
                 LogWritePermissionError();
                 return;
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ public bool Contains(T item)
         public bool Remove(T item)
         {
             // check write permissions
-            if (!CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
+            if (m_NetworkBehaviour && !CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
             {
                 LogWritePermissionError();
                 return false;
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ public int IndexOf(T item)
         public void Insert(int index, T item)
         {
             // check write permissions
-            if (!CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
+            if (m_NetworkBehaviour && !CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
             {
                 LogWritePermissionError();
                 return;
@@ -575,7 +575,7 @@ public void Insert(int index, T item)
         public void RemoveAt(int index)
         {
             // check write permissions
-            if (!CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
+            if (m_NetworkBehaviour && !CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
             {
                 LogWritePermissionError();
                 return;
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ public T this[int index]
             set
             {
                 // check write permissions
-                if (!CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
+                if (m_NetworkBehaviour && !CanClientWrite(m_NetworkBehaviour.NetworkManager.LocalClientId))
                 {
                     LogWritePermissionError();
                     return;