diff --git a/collects/profj/check.ss b/collects/profj/check.ss
index 0100636b25..c54098e510 100644
--- a/collects/profj/check.ss
+++ b/collects/profj/check.ss
@@ -2007,6 +2007,8 @@
                     (cond
                       ;List of methods found
                       ((list? call-exp) call-exp)
+                      ((eq? call-exp 'null)
+                       (prim-call-error call-exp name src level))
                       ((array-type? call-exp)
                        (set! exp-type call-exp)
                        (get-method-records name-string
@@ -2769,11 +2771,13 @@
           (t (type->ext-name exp)))
       (raise-error
        n
-       (format "attempted to call method ~a on ~a which does not have methods. ~nOnly values with ~a types have methods"
-               n t
-               (case level 
-                 ((beginner intermediate) "class or interface")
-                 (else "class, interface, or array")))
+       (if (eq? exp 'null)
+           (format "Attempted to call method ~a directly on null. The null value does not have any methods." n)
+           (format "Attempted to call method ~a on ~a which does not have methods. ~nOnly values with ~a types have methods"
+                   n t
+                   (case level 
+                     ((beginner intermediate) "class or interface")
+                     (else "class, interface, or array"))))
        n src)))
   
   ;no-method-error: symbol symbol type id src -> void
diff --git a/collects/profj/error-messaging.ss b/collects/profj/error-messaging.ss
index d85d68bbc6..ca7805000a 100644
--- a/collects/profj/error-messaging.ss
+++ b/collects/profj/error-messaging.ss
@@ -9,8 +9,10 @@
   
   ;make-error: 'a string 'a src -> void
   (define (make-error-pass parm)
-    (lambda (kind message so src)
-      (raise-syntax-error 'Error #;kind message (make-so so src parm))))
+    (lambda (_ message syn-obj src)
+      (raise (make-exn:fail:syntax (string->immutable-string message)
+                                   (current-continuation-marks) (list-immutable (make-so syn-obj src parm))))))
+  
   
   ;make-so: symbol src (-> location) -> syntax-object
   (define (make-so id src parm)
diff --git a/collects/tests/profj/advanced-tests.ss b/collects/tests/profj/advanced-tests.ss
index f446072054..449a308896 100644
--- a/collects/tests/profj/advanced-tests.ss
+++ b/collects/tests/profj/advanced-tests.ss
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@
   (prepare-for-tests "Advanced")
   
   ;;Execution tests without errors
+
+  (interact-test
+   'advanced
+   '("null.m()")
+   '(error)
+   "Calling a method on null")
   
   (execute-test
    "public class Something {