diff --git a/std-bits/base/src/main/java/org/enso/base/polyglot/EnsoMeta.java b/std-bits/base/src/main/java/org/enso/base/polyglot/EnsoMeta.java
index 249dcd2ad555..d37633481736 100644
--- a/std-bits/base/src/main/java/org/enso/base/polyglot/EnsoMeta.java
+++ b/std-bits/base/src/main/java/org/enso/base/polyglot/EnsoMeta.java
@@ -12,7 +12,15 @@ private static Value getBindings() {
   /** Returns a type object from the Enso runtime. */
   public static Value getType(String moduleName, String typeName) {
     var module = getBindings().invokeMember("get_module", moduleName);
-    return module.invokeMember("get_type", typeName);
+    try {
+      return module.invokeMember("get_type", typeName);
+    } catch (NullPointerException e) {
+      var ex =
+          new NullPointerException(
+              "Cannot get type for " + moduleName + " type: " + typeName + " at " + module);
+      ex.initCause(ex);
+      throw ex;
+    }
   }
 
   /** Calls a static method defined directly on a module (not inside of a type). */