Index: Core/Components/src/Core.Components.DotSpatial/Converter/FeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -rf2367585bae1d0f3b4d999e905fa8ac742f244bf -re611a8f9a7735c41731487fa449a7e7a092db10b
--- Core/Components/src/Core.Components.DotSpatial/Converter/FeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs	(.../FeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs)	(revision f2367585bae1d0f3b4d999e905fa8ac742f244bf)
+++ Core/Components/src/Core.Components.DotSpatial/Converter/FeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs	(.../FeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs)	(revision e611a8f9a7735c41731487fa449a7e7a092db10b)
@@ -62,14 +62,14 @@
 
         public void ConvertLayerFeatures(FeatureBasedMapData data, IMapFeatureLayer layer)
         {
-            ValidateParameters(data);
+            ValidateParameters(data, layer);
 
             ConvertLayerFeaturesInternal(data, layer);
         }
 
         public void ConvertLayerProperties(FeatureBasedMapData data, IMapFeatureLayer layer)
         {
-            ValidateParameters(data);
+            ValidateParameters(data, layer);
 
             ConvertLayerPropertiesInternal(data, layer);
         }
@@ -120,6 +120,16 @@
             }
         }
 
+        private void ValidateParameters(FeatureBasedMapData data, IMapFeatureLayer layer)
+        {
+            ValidateParameters(data);
+
+            if (layer == null)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentNullException("layer", @"Null data cannot be used as conversion target.");
+            }
+        }
+
         private void ConvertLayerFeaturesInternal(FeatureBasedMapData data, IFeatureLayer layer)
         {
             ClearLayerData(layer);
Index: Core/Components/src/Core.Components.DotSpatial/Converter/IFeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs
===================================================================
diff -u -r36ad62b60021e13af670bac0b725c1e2e960efd0 -re611a8f9a7735c41731487fa449a7e7a092db10b
--- Core/Components/src/Core.Components.DotSpatial/Converter/IFeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs	(.../IFeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs)	(revision 36ad62b60021e13af670bac0b725c1e2e960efd0)
+++ Core/Components/src/Core.Components.DotSpatial/Converter/IFeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs	(.../IFeatureBasedMapDataConverter.cs)	(revision e611a8f9a7735c41731487fa449a7e7a092db10b)
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
         /// <param name="data">The data to convert the feature related data from.</param>
         /// <param name="layer">The layer to convert the feature related data to.</param>
         /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Thrown when <see cref="CanConvertMapData"/> returns <c>false</c>.</exception>
-        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">Thrown when <paramref name="data"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
+        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">Thrown when <paramref name="data"/> or <paramref name="layer"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
         void ConvertLayerFeatures(FeatureBasedMapData data, IMapFeatureLayer layer);
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@
         /// <param name="data">The data to convert the general properties from.</param>
         /// <param name="layer">The layer to convert the general properties to.</param>
         /// <exception cref="ArgumentException">Thrown when <see cref="CanConvertMapData"/> returns <c>false</c>.</exception>
-        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">Thrown when <paramref name="data"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
+        /// <exception cref="ArgumentNullException">Thrown when <paramref name="data"/> or <paramref name="layer"/> is <c>null</c>.</exception>
         void ConvertLayerProperties(FeatureBasedMapData data, IMapFeatureLayer layer);
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file