There is a need to investigate motivational constructs for students traditionally underrepresented in educational research. In this study, we measured academic self-handicapping behavior, achievement goal orientations, and achievement in math and literacy in 327 urban, middle school students. Moderated mediation regression analyses were conducted to examine whether the relation of prior achievement with self-handicapping behavior was explained by achievement goals and whether these relations depended on underrepresented minority student status (URM). It was found that URM status moderated the relation of achievement with self-handicapping and that performance goals explained these relations in literacy, but not in math. Educational systems might consider these findings as a starting point for interventions to decrease self-handicapping behavior to support URM students' academic motivation.