diff --git a/plugins/groovy/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/groovy/lang/psi/impl/GroovyPsiElementFactoryImpl.java b/plugins/groovy/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/groovy/lang/psi/impl/GroovyPsiElementFactoryImpl.java
index 9399ab730406..f13c1ad5a1b1 100644
--- a/plugins/groovy/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/groovy/lang/psi/impl/GroovyPsiElementFactoryImpl.java
+++ b/plugins/groovy/src/org/jetbrains/plugins/groovy/lang/psi/impl/GroovyPsiElementFactoryImpl.java
@@ -138,8 +138,13 @@ public class GroovyPsiElementFactoryImpl extends GroovyPsiElementFactory {
   }
 
   public GrReferenceExpression createReferenceExpressionFromText(String idText, PsiElement context) {
-    PsiFile file = createGroovyFile(idText, false, context);
-    return (GrReferenceExpression) ((GroovyFileBase) file).getTopStatements()[0];
+    GroovyFile file = createGroovyFile(idText, false, context);
+    GrTopStatement[] statements = file.getTopStatements();
+
+    if (statements.length != 1) throw new IncorrectOperationException("refText: " + idText);
+    if (!(statements[0] instanceof GrReferenceExpression)) throw new IncorrectOperationException("refText: " + idText);
+
+    return (GrReferenceExpression)statements[0];
   }
 
   @Override