diff --git a/Source/CTest/cmCTestBuildCommand.cxx b/Source/CTest/cmCTestBuildCommand.cxx
index 12ff71828..b250fc329 100644
--- a/Source/CTest/cmCTestBuildCommand.cxx
+++ b/Source/CTest/cmCTestBuildCommand.cxx
@@ -113,6 +113,15 @@ cmCTestGenericHandler* cmCTestBuildCommand::InitializeHandler()
         this->GlobalGenerator =
           this->Makefile->GetCMakeInstance()->CreateGlobalGenerator(
             cmakeGeneratorName);
+        if(!this->GlobalGenerator)
+          {
+          std::string e = "could not create generator named \"";
+          e += cmakeGeneratorName;
+          e += "\"";
+          this->Makefile->IssueMessage(cmake::FATAL_ERROR, e);
+          cmSystemTools::SetFatalErrorOccured();
+          return 0;
+          }
         }
       if(strlen(cmakeBuildConfiguration) == 0)
         {
diff --git a/Tests/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 8074a01d8..c903103dd 100644
--- a/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/Tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2244,6 +2244,18 @@ ${CMake_BINARY_DIR}/bin/cmake -DVERSION=master -P ${CMake_SOURCE_DIR}/Utilities/
   set_tests_properties(CTestTestBadExe PROPERTIES
     PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "${CTestTestBadExe_REGEX}")
 
+  configure_file(
+    "${CMake_SOURCE_DIR}/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/test.cmake.in"
+    "${CMake_BINARY_DIR}/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/test.cmake"
+    @ONLY ESCAPE_QUOTES)
+  add_test(CTestTestBadGenerator ${CMAKE_CTEST_COMMAND}
+    -C "\${CTestTest_CONFIG}"
+    -S "${CMake_BINARY_DIR}/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/test.cmake" -V
+    --output-log "${CMake_BINARY_DIR}/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/testOutput.log"
+    )
+  set_property(TEST CTestTestBadGenerator PROPERTY
+    PASS_REGULAR_EXPRESSION "could not create generator named \"Bad Generator\"")
+
   configure_file(
     "${CMake_SOURCE_DIR}/Tests/CTestTestParallel/test.cmake.in"
     "${CMake_BINARY_DIR}/Tests/CTestTestParallel/test.cmake"
diff --git a/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/CMakeLists.txt b/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d46d9bf4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0)
+project(CTestTestDepends NONE)
+include(CTest)
diff --git a/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/CTestConfig.cmake b/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/CTestConfig.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef981893d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/CTestConfig.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+set (CTEST_PROJECT_NAME "CTestTestBadGenerator")
+set (CTEST_NIGHTLY_START_TIME "21:00:00 EDT")
+set (CTEST_DART_SERVER_VERSION "2")
+set(CTEST_DROP_METHOD "http")
+set(CTEST_DROP_SITE "www.cdash.org")
+set(CTEST_DROP_LOCATION "/CDash/submit.php?project=PublicDashboard")
+set(CTEST_DROP_SITE_CDASH TRUE)
diff --git a/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/test.cmake.in b/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/test.cmake.in
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fe4fba82a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator/test.cmake.in
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.0)
+
+# Settings:
+set(CTEST_DASHBOARD_ROOT                "@CMake_BINARY_DIR@/Tests/CTestTest")
+set(CTEST_SITE                          "@SITE@")
+set(CTEST_BUILD_NAME                    "CTestTest-@BUILDNAME@-Depends")
+
+set(CTEST_SOURCE_DIRECTORY              "@CMake_SOURCE_DIR@/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator")
+set(CTEST_BINARY_DIRECTORY              "@CMake_BINARY_DIR@/Tests/CTestTestBadGenerator")
+set(CTEST_CVS_COMMAND                   "@CVSCOMMAND@")
+set(CTEST_CMAKE_GENERATOR               "Bad Generator")
+set(CTEST_CMAKE_GENERATOR_TOOLSET       "")
+set(CTEST_BUILD_CONFIGURATION           "$ENV{CMAKE_CONFIG_TYPE}")
+set(CTEST_COVERAGE_COMMAND              "@COVERAGE_COMMAND@")
+set(CTEST_NOTES_FILES                   "${CTEST_SCRIPT_DIRECTORY}/${CTEST_SCRIPT_NAME}")
+
+CTEST_START(Experimental)
+CTEST_CONFIGURE(BUILD "${CTEST_BINARY_DIRECTORY}" RETURN_VALUE res)
+CTEST_BUILD(BUILD "${CTEST_BINARY_DIRECTORY}" RETURN_VALUE res)
+CTEST_TEST(BUILD "${CTEST_BINARY_DIRECTORY}" RETURN_VALUE res)