diff --git a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/util/treeView/AbstractTreeUi.java b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/util/treeView/AbstractTreeUi.java
index bc239aa4cfe2..85e6cbc2f50d 100644
--- a/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/util/treeView/AbstractTreeUi.java
+++ b/platform/platform-api/src/com/intellij/ide/util/treeView/AbstractTreeUi.java
@@ -3636,7 +3636,14 @@ public class AbstractTreeUi {
 
     if (descriptor.getChildrenSortingStamp() >= getComparatorStamp() && !forceSort) return;
     if (!children.isEmpty()) {
-      getBuilder().sortChildren(myNodeComparator, node, (ArrayList<TreeNode>)children);
+      try {
+        getBuilder().sortChildren(myNodeComparator, node, (ArrayList<TreeNode>)children);
+      }
+      catch (IllegalArgumentException exception) {
+        StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder("cannot sort children");
+        children.forEach(child -> sb.append('\n').append(child));
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException(sb.toString(), exception);
+      }
     }
 
     if (updateStamp) {