diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditAction.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditAction.java
index e7ec6a73..d5deff86 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditAction.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/main/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditAction.java
@@ -91,20 +91,6 @@ public class DMLAuditAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<DMLAuditInput, DMLAu
       long                     start            = System.currentTimeMillis();
       DMLType                  dmlType          = getDMLType(tableActionInput);
 
-      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      // currently, the table's primary key must be integer... so, log (once) and return early if not that //
-      ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
-      QFieldMetaData field = table.getField(table.getPrimaryKeyField());
-      if(!QFieldType.INTEGER.equals(field.getType()))
-      {
-         if(!loggedUnauditableTableNames.contains(table.getName()))
-         {
-            LOG.info("Cannot audit table without integer as its primary key", logPair("tableName", table.getName()));
-            loggedUnauditableTableNames.add(table.getName());
-         }
-         return (output);
-      }
-
       try
       {
          List<QRecord> recordList = CollectionUtils.nonNullList(input.getRecordList()).stream()
@@ -119,6 +105,21 @@ public class DMLAuditAction extends AbstractQActionFunction<DMLAuditInput, DMLAu
             return (output);
          }
 
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         // currently, the table's primary key must be integer... so, log (once) and return early if not that //
+         // (or, if no primary key!)                                                                          //
+         ///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+         QFieldMetaData field = table.getFields().get(table.getPrimaryKeyField());
+         if(field == null || !QFieldType.INTEGER.equals(field.getType()))
+         {
+            if(!loggedUnauditableTableNames.contains(table.getName()))
+            {
+               LOG.info("Cannot audit table without integer as its primary key", logPair("tableName", table.getName()));
+               loggedUnauditableTableNames.add(table.getName());
+            }
+            return (output);
+         }
+
          String contextSuffix = getContentSuffix(input);
 
          AuditInput auditInput = new AuditInput();
diff --git a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditActionTest.java b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditActionTest.java
index 58d1f6d4..f5537a42 100644
--- a/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditActionTest.java
+++ b/qqq-backend-core/src/test/java/com/kingsrook/qqq/backend/core/actions/audits/DMLAuditActionTest.java
@@ -400,4 +400,49 @@ class DMLAuditActionTest extends BaseTest
       QContext.popAction();
    }
 
+
+
+   /*******************************************************************************
+    **
+    *******************************************************************************/
+   @Test
+   void testTableWithoutIntegerPrimaryKey() throws QException
+   {
+      QInstance qInstance = QContext.getQInstance();
+      new AuditsMetaDataProvider().defineAll(qInstance, TestUtils.MEMORY_BACKEND_NAME, null);
+
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // we used to throw if table had no primary key.  first, assert that we do not throw in that case //
+      ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      QContext.getQInstance().addTable(
+         new QTableMetaData()
+            .withName("nullPkey")
+            .withField(new QFieldMetaData("foo", QFieldType.STRING))
+            .withAuditRules(new QAuditRules().withAuditLevel(AuditLevel.FIELD)));
+
+      new DMLAuditAction().execute(new DMLAuditInput()
+         .withTableActionInput(new InsertInput("nullPkey"))
+         .withRecordList(List.of(new QRecord())));
+
+      //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      // next, make sure we don't throw (and don't record anything) if table's pkey isn't integer //
+      //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
+      QContext.getQInstance().addTable(
+         new QTableMetaData()
+            .withName("stringPkey")
+            .withField(new QFieldMetaData("idString", QFieldType.STRING))
+            .withPrimaryKeyField("idString")
+            .withAuditRules(new QAuditRules().withAuditLevel(AuditLevel.FIELD)));
+
+      new DMLAuditAction().execute(new DMLAuditInput()
+         .withTableActionInput(new InsertInput("stringPkey"))
+         .withRecordList(List.of(new QRecord())));
+
+      //////////////////////////////////
+      // make sure no audits happened //
+      //////////////////////////////////
+      List<QRecord> auditList = TestUtils.queryTable("audit");
+      assertTrue(auditList.isEmpty());
+   }
+
 }