diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/HasKotlinDependencies.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/HasKotlinDependencies.kt
index 104a6e6026a..921a590f47c 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/HasKotlinDependencies.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin-api/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/HasKotlinDependencies.kt
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 /*
- * Copyright 2010-2018 JetBrains s.r.o. and Kotlin Programming Language contributors.
+ * Copyright 2010-2020 JetBrains s.r.o. and Kotlin Programming Language contributors.
  * Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license that can be found in the license/LICENSE.txt file.
  */
 
@@ -54,7 +54,9 @@ interface KotlinDependencyHandler {
 
     fun project(notation: Map<String, Any?>): ProjectDependency
 
-    fun npm(name: String, version: String = "*"): Dependency
+    fun npm(name: String): Dependency
+
+    fun npm(name: String, version: String): Dependency
 
     fun npm(name: String, directory: File): Dependency
 
@@ -65,19 +67,19 @@ interface KotlinDependencyHandler {
     )
     fun npm(org: String? = null, packageName: String, version: String = "*"): Dependency
 
-    fun devNpm(name: String, version: String = "*"): Dependency
+    fun devNpm(name: String, version: String): Dependency
 
     fun devNpm(name: String, directory: File): Dependency
 
     fun devNpm(directory: File): Dependency
 
-    fun optionalNpm(name: String, version: String = "*"): Dependency
+    fun optionalNpm(name: String, version: String): Dependency
 
     fun optionalNpm(name: String, directory: File): Dependency
 
     fun optionalNpm(directory: File): Dependency
 
-    fun peerNpm(name: String, version: String = "*"): Dependency
+    fun peerNpm(name: String, version: String): Dependency
 }
 
 interface HasKotlinDependencies {
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/mpp/DefaultKotlinDependencyHandler.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/mpp/DefaultKotlinDependencyHandler.kt
index e60a39e9056..f4c6461d3c7 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/mpp/DefaultKotlinDependencyHandler.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/plugin/mpp/DefaultKotlinDependencyHandler.kt
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2010-2020 JetBrains s.r.o. and Kotlin Programming Language contributors.
+ * Use of this source code is governed by the Apache 2.0 license that can be found in the license/LICENSE.txt file.
+ */
+
 package org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.plugin.mpp
 
 import org.gradle.api.Project
@@ -59,6 +64,10 @@ class DefaultKotlinDependencyHandler(
     override fun project(notation: Map<String, Any?>): ProjectDependency =
         project.dependencies.project(notation) as ProjectDependency
 
+    override fun npm(name: String): Dependency {
+        throw IllegalArgumentException("NPM dependency '$name' doesn't have version. Please, set version explicitly.")
+    }
+
     private fun addDependencyByAnyNotation(
         configurationName: String,
         dependencyNotation: Any
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmDependencyExtension.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmDependencyExtension.kt
index def70461446..50a17b412ef 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmDependencyExtension.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-gradle-plugin/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/gradle/targets/js/npm/NpmDependencyExtension.kt
@@ -13,7 +13,9 @@ import org.jetbrains.kotlin.gradle.utils.lowerCamelCaseName
 import java.io.File
 
 interface NpmDependencyExtension {
-    operator fun invoke(name: String, version: String = "*"): NpmDependency
+    operator fun invoke(name: String): NpmDependency
+
+    operator fun invoke(name: String, version: String): NpmDependency
 
     operator fun invoke(name: String, directory: File): NpmDependency
 
@@ -24,6 +26,9 @@ private class DefaultNpmDependencyExtension(
     private val project: Project,
     private val scope: NpmDependency.Scope
 ) : NpmDependencyExtension, Closure<NpmDependency>(project.dependencies) {
+    override fun invoke(name: String): NpmDependency =
+        throw IllegalArgumentException("NPM dependency '$name' doesn't have version. Please, set version explicitly.")
+
     override operator fun invoke(name: String, version: String): NpmDependency =
         NpmDependency(
             project = project,
@@ -34,7 +39,7 @@ private class DefaultNpmDependencyExtension(
 
     override operator fun invoke(name: String, directory: File): NpmDependency {
         check(directory.isDirectory) {
-            "Dependency on local path should point on directory but $directory found"
+            "Dependency '$name' on local path should point on directory but '$directory' found"
         }
         return invoke(
             name = name,
@@ -49,7 +54,7 @@ private class DefaultNpmDependencyExtension(
         )
 
     override fun call(vararg args: Any?): NpmDependency {
-        if (args.size > 2) throw npmDeclarationException(args)
+        if (args.size > 2) npmDeclarationException(args)
 
         val arg = args[0]
         return when (arg) {
@@ -58,7 +63,7 @@ private class DefaultNpmDependencyExtension(
                 args = *args
             )
             is File -> invoke(arg)
-            else -> throw npmDeclarationException(args)
+            else -> npmDeclarationException(args)
         }
     }
 
@@ -76,12 +81,12 @@ private class DefaultNpmDependencyExtension(
                 name = name,
                 directory = arg
             )
-            else -> throw npmDeclarationException(args)
+            else -> npmDeclarationException(args)
         }
     }
 
-    private fun npmDeclarationException(args: Array<out Any?>): IllegalArgumentException {
-        return IllegalArgumentException(
+    private fun npmDeclarationException(args: Array<out Any?>): Nothing {
+        throw IllegalArgumentException(
             """
                             Unable to add NPM dependency by $args
                             - npm('name') -> name:*