diff --git a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/search/LowLevelSearchUtil.java b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/search/LowLevelSearchUtil.java
index 1194ef78b5c4..729efea586e3 100644
--- a/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/search/LowLevelSearchUtil.java
+++ b/platform/lang-impl/src/com/intellij/psi/impl/search/LowLevelSearchUtil.java
@@ -141,6 +141,10 @@ public class LowLevelSearchUtil {
     final CharSequence buffer = file.getViewProvider().getContents();
 
     TextRange range = scope.getTextRange();
+    if (range == null) {
+      throw new AssertionError("Element " + scope + " of class " + scope.getClass() + " has null range");
+    }
+
     int scopeStart = range.getStartOffset();
     int startOffset = scopeStart;
     int endOffset = range.getEndOffset();