diff --git a/include/pybind11/pytypes.h b/include/pybind11/pytypes.h
index 565df4375..29506b7ea 100644
--- a/include/pybind11/pytypes.h
+++ b/include/pybind11/pytypes.h
@@ -1829,18 +1829,18 @@ public:
             // guard if destructor called while err indicator is set
             error_scope error_guard;
             auto destructor = reinterpret_cast<void (*)(void *)>(PyCapsule_GetContext(o));
-            if (destructor == nullptr) {
-                if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
-                    throw error_already_set();
-                }
-                pybind11_fail("Unable to get capsule context");
+            if (PyErr_Occurred()) {
+                throw error_already_set();
             }
             const char *name = get_name_in_error_scope(o);
             void *ptr = PyCapsule_GetPointer(o, name);
             if (ptr == nullptr) {
                 throw error_already_set();
             }
-            destructor(ptr);
+
+            if (destructor != nullptr) {
+                destructor(ptr);
+            }
         });
 
         if (!m_ptr || PyCapsule_SetContext(m_ptr, (void *) destructor) != 0) {
diff --git a/tests/test_pytypes.cpp b/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
index da0dc8f6b..c95ff8230 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
+++ b/tests/test_pytypes.cpp
@@ -289,6 +289,12 @@ TEST_SUBMODULE(pytypes, m) {
         return capsule;
     });
 
+    m.def("return_capsule_with_explicit_nullptr_dtor", []() {
+        py::print("creating capsule with explicit nullptr dtor");
+        return py::capsule(reinterpret_cast<void *>(1234),
+                           static_cast<void (*)(void *)>(nullptr)); // PR #4221
+    });
+
     // test_accessors
     m.def("accessor_api", [](const py::object &o) {
         auto d = py::dict();
diff --git a/tests/test_pytypes.py b/tests/test_pytypes.py
index a34eaa59e..070849fc5 100644
--- a/tests/test_pytypes.py
+++ b/tests/test_pytypes.py
@@ -299,6 +299,17 @@ def test_capsule(capture):
     """
     )
 
+    with capture:
+        a = m.return_capsule_with_explicit_nullptr_dtor()
+        del a
+        pytest.gc_collect()
+    assert (
+        capture.unordered
+        == """
+        creating capsule with explicit nullptr dtor
+    """
+    )
+
 
 def test_accessors():
     class SubTestObject: