diff --git a/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc b/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc
index 3f83222..6ef3838 100644
--- a/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc
+++ b/compiler/cpp/src/generate/t_java_generator.cc
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@
     "import org.apache.thrift.scheme.StandardScheme;\n\n" +
     "import org.apache.thrift.scheme.TupleScheme;\n" +
     "import org.apache.thrift.protocol.TTupleProtocol;\n" +
+    "import org.apache.thrift.protocol.TProtocolException;\n" +
     "import org.apache.thrift.EncodingUtils;\n" +
     "import java.util.List;\n" +
     "import java.util.ArrayList;\n" +
@@ -1082,7 +1083,7 @@
   indent_down();
   indent(out) << "} else {" << endl;
   indent_up();
-  indent(out) << "return null;" << endl;
+  indent(out) << "throw new TProtocolException(\"Couldn't find a field with field id \" + fieldID);" << endl;
   indent_down();
   indent(out) << "}" << endl;
   indent_down();