diff --git a/spring-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/core/cql/generator/AlterTableCqlGenerator.java b/spring-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/core/cql/generator/AlterTableCqlGenerator.java
index 64ed9e5b7..42ec89f19 100644
--- a/spring-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/core/cql/generator/AlterTableCqlGenerator.java
+++ b/spring-cassandra/src/main/java/org/springframework/cassandra/core/cql/generator/AlterTableCqlGenerator.java
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ public class AlterTableCqlGenerator extends TableOptionsCqlGenerator<AlterTableS
 		if (change instanceof AlterColumnSpecification) {
 			return new AlterColumnCqlGenerator((AlterColumnSpecification) change);
 		}
-		throw new Error("unknown ColumnChangeSpecification type: " + change.getClass().getName());
+		throw new IllegalArgumentException("unknown ColumnChangeSpecification type: " + change.getClass().getName());
 	}
 
 	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")