diff --git a/spring-xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchema.java b/spring-xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchema.java
index f2bc09d8..5a6fd9c1 100644
--- a/spring-xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchema.java
+++ b/spring-xml/src/main/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchema.java
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ import org.springframework.xml.validation.XmlValidatorFactory;
  *
  * @author Mark LaFond
  * @author Arjen Poutsma
+ * @author Greg Turnquist
  * @since 1.5.0
  */
 public class SimpleXsdSchema implements XsdSchema, InitializingBean {
@@ -91,6 +92,9 @@ public class SimpleXsdSchema implements XsdSchema, InitializingBean {
 
 	@Override
 	public String getTargetNamespace() {
+
+		Assert.notNull(schemaElement, "schemaElement must not be null! Did you run afterPropertiesSet() or register this as a Spring bean?");
+		
 		return schemaElement.getAttribute("targetNamespace");
 	}
 
diff --git a/spring-xml/src/test/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchemaTest.java b/spring-xml/src/test/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchemaTest.java
index 1fc7afa0..d06a5452 100644
--- a/spring-xml/src/test/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchemaTest.java
+++ b/spring-xml/src/test/java/org/springframework/xml/xsd/SimpleXsdSchemaTest.java
@@ -16,6 +16,8 @@
 
 package org.springframework.xml.xsd;
 
+import org.junit.Test;
+
 import org.springframework.core.io.Resource;
 
 public class SimpleXsdSchemaTest extends AbstractXsdSchemaTestCase {
@@ -27,4 +29,11 @@ public class SimpleXsdSchemaTest extends AbstractXsdSchemaTestCase {
 		return schema;
 	}
 
+	@Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+	public void testBareXsdSchema() {
+
+		SimpleXsdSchema schema = new SimpleXsdSchema();
+		schema.toString();
+	}
+
 }
\ No newline at end of file