diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersion.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersion.kt
index fe4e49a80a8..623eefc054d 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersion.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/main/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersion.kt
@@ -11,8 +11,20 @@ import java.io.Serializable
 import java.util.*
 
 fun KotlinToolingVersion(kotlinVersionString: String): KotlinToolingVersion {
-    return KotlinToolingVersionOrNull(kotlinVersionString)
-        ?: throw IllegalArgumentException("Invalid Kotlin version: $kotlinVersionString")
+    fun throwInvalid(reason: String): Nothing = throw IllegalArgumentException("Invalid Kotlin version: $kotlinVersionString ($reason)")
+
+    val baseVersion = kotlinVersionString.split("-", limit = 2)[0]
+    val classifier = kotlinVersionString.split("-", limit = 2).getOrNull(1)
+
+    val baseVersionSplit = baseVersion.split(".")
+    if (!(baseVersionSplit.size == 2 || baseVersionSplit.size == 3)) throwInvalid("Expected 2 or 3 '.' separated parts")
+
+    return KotlinToolingVersion(
+        major = baseVersionSplit[0].toIntOrNull() ?: throwInvalid("Failed parsing major version"),
+        minor = baseVersionSplit[1].toIntOrNull() ?: throwInvalid("Failed parsing minor version"),
+        patch = baseVersionSplit.getOrNull(2)?.let { it.toIntOrNull() ?: throwInvalid("Failed parsing patch version") } ?: 0,
+        classifier = classifier
+    )
 }
 
 fun KotlinToolingVersion(kotlinVersion: KotlinVersion, classifier: String? = null): KotlinToolingVersion {
@@ -20,18 +32,11 @@ fun KotlinToolingVersion(kotlinVersion: KotlinVersion, classifier: String? = nul
 }
 
 fun KotlinToolingVersionOrNull(kotlinVersionString: String): KotlinToolingVersion? {
-    val baseVersion = kotlinVersionString.split("-", limit = 2)[0]
-    val classifier = kotlinVersionString.split("-", limit = 2).getOrNull(1)
-
-    val baseVersionSplit = baseVersion.split(".")
-    if (!(baseVersionSplit.size == 2 || baseVersionSplit.size == 3)) return null
-
-    return KotlinToolingVersion(
-        major = baseVersionSplit[0].toIntOrNull() ?: return null,
-        minor = baseVersionSplit[1].toIntOrNull() ?: return null,
-        patch = baseVersionSplit.getOrNull(2)?.let { it.toIntOrNull() ?: return null } ?: 0,
-        classifier = classifier
-    )
+    return try {
+        KotlinToolingVersion(kotlinVersionString)
+    } catch (t: IllegalArgumentException) {
+        null
+    }
 }
 
 class KotlinToolingVersion(
diff --git a/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersionTest.kt b/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersionTest.kt
index 2b40ceb0460..f863dcc1f60 100644
--- a/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersionTest.kt
+++ b/libraries/tools/kotlin-tooling-core/src/test/kotlin/org/jetbrains/kotlin/tooling/core/KotlinToolingVersionTest.kt
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ class KotlinToolingVersionTest {
         assertBuildNumber(510, "1.6.20-pub-myWildcard1-510")
         assertBuildNumber(510, "1.6.20-some-510")
         assertBuildNumber(510, "1.6.20-aaa-a2-a3-510")
-        assertBuildNumber(null,"1.6.20-dev-myWildcard510")
+        assertBuildNumber(null, "1.6.20-dev-myWildcard510")
 
         /* dev with - in wildcards */
         assertBuildNumber(510, "1.6.20-dev-google-pr-510")
@@ -314,8 +314,10 @@ class KotlinToolingVersionTest {
     fun illegalVersionString() {
         assertFailsWith<IllegalArgumentException> { KotlinToolingVersion("x") }
         assertFailsWith<IllegalArgumentException> { KotlinToolingVersion("1.6.20.1") }
+        assertNull(KotlinToolingVersionOrNull(""))
         assertNull(KotlinToolingVersionOrNull("x"))
         assertNull(KotlinToolingVersionOrNull("1.6.20.1"))
+        assertNull(KotlinToolingVersionOrNull("1.6.20-x"))
     }
 
     private fun assertBuildNumber(buildNumber: Int?, version: String, message: String? = null) {
@@ -332,7 +334,10 @@ class KotlinToolingVersionTest {
                 "Parsing maturity is expected to be failed for `$version`${message?.let { ". $it" } ?: ""}") {
                 KotlinToolingVersion(version)
             }
-            assertTrue("maturity" in exception.message.orEmpty().toLowerCase(), "Expected 'maturity' issue mentioned in error message")
+            assertTrue(
+                "maturity" in exception.message.orEmpty().toLowerCase(),
+                "Expected 'maturity' issue mentioned in error message. Found: ${exception.message}"
+            )
         } else {
             assertEquals(maturity, KotlinToolingVersion(version).maturity, message)
         }