diff --git a/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/reference/ReferenceTranslator.java b/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/reference/ReferenceTranslator.java
index bf4e7d43830..c399cbaf53d 100644
--- a/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/reference/ReferenceTranslator.java
+++ b/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/reference/ReferenceTranslator.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 package org.jetbrains.k2js.translate.reference;
 
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import com.google.dart.compiler.backend.js.ast.JsExpression;
 import com.google.dart.compiler.backend.js.ast.JsName;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ public final class ReferenceTranslator {
     public static JsExpression translateAsLocalNameReference(@NotNull DeclarationDescriptor referencedDescriptor,
             @NotNull TranslationContext context) {
         DeclarationDescriptor effectiveDescriptor = getReferencedDescriptor(referencedDescriptor, context);
+        Preconditions.checkNotNull(effectiveDescriptor, "Could not find DeclarationDescriptor for %s", referencedDescriptor);
         return context.getNameForDescriptor(effectiveDescriptor).makeRef();
     }
 
@@ -68,9 +70,11 @@ public final class ReferenceTranslator {
         DeclarationDescriptor effectiveDescriptor;
         if (context.isEcma5() && referencedDescriptor instanceof PropertyAccessorDescriptor) {
             effectiveDescriptor = ((PropertyAccessorDescriptor) referencedDescriptor).getCorrespondingProperty();
+            Preconditions.checkNotNull(effectiveDescriptor, "No correspondingProperty available for descriptor %s", referencedDescriptor);
         }
         else {
             effectiveDescriptor = referencedDescriptor;
+            Preconditions.checkNotNull(effectiveDescriptor, "No referencedDescriptor available");
         }
         return effectiveDescriptor;
     }
diff --git a/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/utils/BindingUtils.java b/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/utils/BindingUtils.java
index 11090c851b7..a8e8536aca1 100644
--- a/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/utils/BindingUtils.java
+++ b/js/js.translator/src/org/jetbrains/k2js/translate/utils/BindingUtils.java
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@
 
 package org.jetbrains.k2js.translate.utils;
 
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
 import com.google.common.collect.Sets;
 import com.intellij.psi.PsiElement;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.Nullable;
 import org.jetbrains.jet.lang.descriptors.*;
+import org.jetbrains.jet.lang.diagnostics.DiagnosticUtils;
 import org.jetbrains.jet.lang.psi.*;
 import org.jetbrains.jet.lang.resolve.BindingContext;
 import org.jetbrains.jet.lang.resolve.BindingContextUtils;
@@ -188,6 +190,8 @@ public final class BindingUtils {
             @NotNull JetReferenceExpression reference) {
         DeclarationDescriptor referencedDescriptor = getNullableDescriptorForReferenceExpression(context, reference);
         assert referencedDescriptor != null : "Reference expression must reference a descriptor.";
+        Preconditions.checkNotNull(referencedDescriptor, "Reference expression must reference a descriptor for reference %s at %s", reference.getText(),
+                                   DiagnosticUtils.atLocation(reference));
         return referencedDescriptor;
     }