diff --git a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java
index 000ee0845..d940097ed 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContext.java
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractMappingContext<E extends MutablePersistentEntity<?
 			P persistentProperty = current.getPersistentProperty(segment);
 
 			if (persistentProperty == null) {
-				throw new IllegalArgumentException(String.format("No property %s found on %s!", segment, current.getName()));
+				throw new MappingException(String.format("No property %s found on %s!", segment, current.getName()));
 			}
 
 			result.add(persistentProperty);
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContextUnitTests.java b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContextUnitTests.java
index 771dd8a75..ef71f895e 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContextUnitTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/springframework/data/mapping/context/AbstractMappingContextUnitTests.java
@@ -185,6 +185,14 @@ public class AbstractMappingContextUnitTests {
 		assertThat(path.getLeafProperty().getName(), is("name"));
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * @see DATACMNS-380
+	 */
+	@Test(expected = MappingException.class)
+	public void rejectsInvalidPropertyReferenceWithMappingException() {
+		context.getPersistentPropertyPath("foo", Sample.class);
+	}
+
 	class Person {
 		String name;
 	}