diff --git a/lib/core/parser/eval_access.dart b/lib/core/parser/eval_access.dart
index 54c7cf64c..23b7ace82 100644
--- a/lib/core/parser/eval_access.dart
+++ b/lib/core/parser/eval_access.dart
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ abstract class AccessReflective {
     int cachedKind = _cachedKind;
     if (cachedKind == CACHED_MAP) return holder[name];
     var value = _cachedValue;
-    return (cachedKind == CACHED_FIELD)
+    return (cachedKind == CACHED_FIELD && value != null)
         ? value.getField(symbol).reflectee
         : value;
   }
diff --git a/test/directive/ng_model_spec.dart b/test/directive/ng_model_spec.dart
index 656f2671a..fbe3c924f 100644
--- a/test/directive/ng_model_spec.dart
+++ b/test/directive/ng_model_spec.dart
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@ main() =>
 describe('ng-model', () {
   TestBed _;
 
+  beforeEach(module((Module module) {
+    module
+      ..type(ControllerWithNoLove);
+  }));
+
   beforeEach(inject((TestBed tb) => _ = tb));
 
   describe('type="text"', () {
@@ -584,4 +589,25 @@ describe('ng-model', () {
     }));
   });
 
+  describe('error messages', () {
+    iit('should produce a useful error for bad ng-model expressions', () {
+      expect(async(() {
+        _.compile('<div no-love><textarea ng-model=ctrl.love probe="loveProbe"></textarea></div');
+        Probe probe = _.rootScope['loveProbe'];
+        TextAreaElement inputElement = probe.element;
+
+        inputElement.value = 'xzy';
+        _.triggerEvent(inputElement, 'change');
+        _.rootScope.$digest();
+      })).toThrow("Class 'ControllerWithNoLove' has no instance getter 'love'");
+
+    });
+  });
 });
+
+@NgController(
+    selector: '[no-love]',
+    publishAs: 'ctrl')
+class ControllerWithNoLove {
+  var apathy = null;
+}