diff --git a/runtimesource/com/intellij/rt/execution/junit2/segments/Packet.java b/runtimesource/com/intellij/rt/execution/junit2/segments/Packet.java
index 58e98ab45783..ea8fea2bc79c 100644
--- a/runtimesource/com/intellij/rt/execution/junit2/segments/Packet.java
+++ b/runtimesource/com/intellij/rt/execution/junit2/segments/Packet.java
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ public class Packet extends PacketWriter implements PoolOfKnownObjects {
 
   public Packet addThrowable(Throwable throwable) {
     String filteredTrace = BaseTestRunner.getFilteredTrace(throwable);
-    String message = makeNewLinesCompatibleWithJUnit(throwable.toString());
+    String message = makeNewLinesCompatibleWithJUnit(throwableToString(throwable));
     addLimitedString(message);
     if (filteredTrace.startsWith(message))
       filteredTrace = filteredTrace.substring(message.length());
@@ -65,6 +65,11 @@ public class Packet extends PacketWriter implements PoolOfKnownObjects {
     return this;
   }
 
+  private String throwableToString(final Throwable throwable) {
+    final String tostring = throwable.toString();
+    return tostring != null ? tostring : throwable.getClass().getName();
+  }
+
   private static String makeNewLinesCompatibleWithJUnit(String string) {
     try {
       StringWriter buffer = new StringWriter();