Index: Ringtoets/Common/src/Ringtoets.Common.Data/FailureMechanism/FailureMechanismBase.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -rfff12e249602fb700b2854c14a3b7cdd0b73c023 -r13fcf9943a26918929a3ada0363c2414480db077
--- Ringtoets/Common/src/Ringtoets.Common.Data/FailureMechanism/FailureMechanismBase.cs	(.../FailureMechanismBase.cs)	(revision fff12e249602fb700b2854c14a3b7cdd0b73c023)
+++ Ringtoets/Common/src/Ringtoets.Common.Data/FailureMechanism/FailureMechanismBase.cs	(.../FailureMechanismBase.cs)	(revision 13fcf9943a26918929a3ada0363c2414480db077)
@@ -44,8 +44,16 @@
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="failureMechanismName">The name of the failure mechanism.</param>
         /// <param name="failureMechanismCode">The code of the failure mechanism.</param>
+        /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Thrown when either:
+        /// <list type="bullet">
+        /// <item><paramref name="failureMechanismName"/> is <c>null</c> or empty.</item>
+        /// <item><paramref name="failureMechanismCode"/> is <c>null</c> or empty.</item>
+        /// </list>
+        /// </exception>
         protected FailureMechanismBase(string failureMechanismName, string failureMechanismCode)
         {
+            ValidateParameters(failureMechanismName, failureMechanismCode);
+
             Name = failureMechanismName;
             Code = failureMechanismCode;
             sections = new List<FailureMechanismSection>();
@@ -122,6 +130,19 @@
             sectionResults.Clear();
         }
 
+        private static void ValidateParameters(string failureMechanismName, string failureMechanismCode)
+        {
+            var parameterIsRequired = "Parameter is required.";
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(failureMechanismName))
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException(parameterIsRequired, "failureMechanismName");
+            }
+            if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(failureMechanismCode))
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentException(parameterIsRequired, "failureMechanismCode");
+            }
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Inserts the section to <see cref="Sections"/> while maintaining connectivity
         /// order (neighboring <see cref="FailureMechanismSection"/> have same start and