diff --git a/bottom-bar/src/androidTest/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTabTest.java b/bottom-bar/src/androidTest/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTabTest.java
index e7a6f9df..6b9c6312 100644
--- a/bottom-bar/src/androidTest/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTabTest.java
+++ b/bottom-bar/src/androidTest/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTabTest.java
@@ -25,25 +25,33 @@ public void setUp() {
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void correctLayoutReturned_ForFixedTab() {
+    public void correctLayoutReturnedForFixedTab() {
         tab.setType(BottomBarTab.Type.FIXED);
         assertEquals(R.layout.bb_bottom_bar_item_fixed, tab.getLayoutResource());
     }
 
+    @Test(expected = IllegalStateException.class)
+    public void setType_ToTitleless_WhenIconDoesNotExist_ThrowsException() {
+        tab.setType(BottomBarTab.Type.TITLELESS);
+        assertEquals(R.layout.bb_bottom_bar_item_titleless, tab.getLayoutResource());
+    }
+
     @Test
-    public void correctLayoutReturned_ForTitlelessTab() {
+    public void correctLayoutForTitlelessTab() {
+        tab.setIconResId(com.roughike.bottombar.test.R.drawable.empty_icon);
         tab.setType(BottomBarTab.Type.TITLELESS);
+
         assertEquals(R.layout.bb_bottom_bar_item_titleless, tab.getLayoutResource());
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void correctLayoutReturned_ForShiftingTab() {
+    public void correctLayoutForShiftingTab() {
         tab.setType(BottomBarTab.Type.SHIFTING);
         assertEquals(R.layout.bb_bottom_bar_item_shifting, tab.getLayoutResource());
     }
 
     @Test
-    public void correctLayoutReturned_ForTabletTab() {
+    public void correctLayoutForTabletTab() {
         tab.setType(BottomBarTab.Type.TABLET);
         assertEquals(R.layout.bb_bottom_bar_item_fixed_tablet, tab.getLayoutResource());
     }
diff --git a/bottom-bar/src/main/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTab.java b/bottom-bar/src/main/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTab.java
index d606de95..c841073a 100644
--- a/bottom-bar/src/main/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTab.java
+++ b/bottom-bar/src/main/java/com/roughike/bottombar/BottomBarTab.java
@@ -160,6 +160,12 @@ Type getType() {
     }
 
     void setType(Type type) {
+        if (type == Type.TITLELESS && getIconResId() == 0) {
+            throw new IllegalStateException("This tab is supposed to be " +
+                    "icon only, yet it has no icon specified. Index in " +
+                    "container: " + getIndexInTabContainer());
+        }
+
         this.type = type;
     }