diff --git a/engine/src/niftygui/com/jme3/niftygui/RenderFontJme.java b/engine/src/niftygui/com/jme3/niftygui/RenderFontJme.java
index 0bfef504c..41182de9e 100644
--- a/engine/src/niftygui/com/jme3/niftygui/RenderFontJme.java
+++ b/engine/src/niftygui/com/jme3/niftygui/RenderFontJme.java
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ public class RenderFontJme implements RenderFont {
     public RenderFontJme(String name, NiftyJmeDisplay display) {
         this.display = display;
         font = display.getAssetManager().loadFont(name);
+        if (font == null) {
+            throw new RuntimeException( "Font not loaded:" + name );
+        }
         text = new BitmapText(font);
         actualSize = font.getPreferredSize();
         text.setSize(actualSize);