diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Project/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItems.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Project/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItems.cs
index e1b4d3cf1e..a96d3dca8c 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Project/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItems.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Project/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItems.cs
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ namespace ICSharpCode.PackageManagement.EnvDTE
 					return item;
 				}
 			}
-			return null;
+			throw new ArgumentException("Unable to find item: " + name, "name");
 		}
 		
 		internal virtual ProjectItem Item(int index)
diff --git a/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Test/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItemsTests.cs b/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Test/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItemsTests.cs
index 9fec6053a6..bbf272916a 100644
--- a/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Test/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItemsTests.cs
+++ b/src/AddIns/Misc/PackageManagement/Test/Src/EnvDTE/ProjectItemsTests.cs
@@ -831,5 +831,14 @@ namespace PackageManagement.Tests.EnvDTE
 			
 			Assert.AreEqual("AccountController.cs", projectItem.Name);
 		}
+		
+		[Test]
+		public void Item_UnknownProjectItemName_ThrowsException()
+		{
+			CreateProjectItems();
+			msbuildProject.AddFile("Program.cs");
+			
+			Assert.Throws<ArgumentException>(() => projectItems.Item("unknown.cs"));
+		}
 	}
 }