diff --git a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/Objects.java b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/Objects.java
index 97dec7d74..9cf7cadb3 100644
--- a/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/Objects.java
+++ b/smack-core/src/main/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/util/Objects.java
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /**
  *
- * Copyright 2015-2018 Florian Schmaus
+ * Copyright 2015-2019 Florian Schmaus
  *
  * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
  * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
@@ -20,9 +20,26 @@ import java.util.Collection;
 
 public class Objects {
 
-    public static <T> T requireNonNull(T obj, String message) {
+    /**
+     * Checks that the specified object reference is not <code>null</code> and throws a customized
+     * {@link IllegalArgumentException} if it is.
+     * <p>
+     * Note that unlike <code>java.util.Objects</code>, this method throws an {@link IllegalArgumentException} instead
+     * of an {@link NullPointerException}.
+     * </p>
+     *
+     * @param <T> the type of the reference.
+     * @param obj the object reference to check for nullity.
+     * @param message detail message to be used in the event that a {@link IllegalArgumentException} is thrown.
+     * @return <code>obj</code> if not null.
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException in case <code>obj</code> is <code>null</code>.
+     */
+    public static <T> T requireNonNull(T obj, String message) throws IllegalArgumentException {
         if (obj == null) {
-            throw new NullPointerException(message);
+            if (message == null) {
+                message = "Can not provide null argument";
+            }
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(message);
         }
         return obj;
     }
diff --git a/smack-core/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/PresenceTest.java b/smack-core/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/PresenceTest.java
index 9f6adca2e..a86e07646 100644
--- a/smack-core/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/PresenceTest.java
+++ b/smack-core/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smack/packet/PresenceTest.java
@@ -20,10 +20,11 @@ import static org.jivesoftware.smack.test.util.XmlUnitUtils.assertXmlSimilar;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.assertThrows;
 
 import java.io.IOException;
 
-import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
 import org.xml.sax.SAXException;
 
 public class PresenceTest {
@@ -59,9 +60,11 @@ public class PresenceTest {
         assertXmlSimilar(control, presenceTypeSet.toXML(StreamOpen.CLIENT_NAMESPACE).toString());
     }
 
-    @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
+    @Test
     public void setNullPresenceTypeTest() {
-        getNewPresence().setType(null);
+        assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () ->
+        getNewPresence().setType(null)
+        );
     }
 
     @Test
@@ -112,9 +115,11 @@ public class PresenceTest {
         assertXmlSimilar(control, presence.toXML(StreamOpen.CLIENT_NAMESPACE).toString());
     }
 
-    @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
+    @Test
     public void setIllegalPriorityTest() {
-        getNewPresence().setPriority(Integer.MIN_VALUE);
+        assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () ->
+        getNewPresence().setPriority(Integer.MIN_VALUE)
+        );
     }
 
     @Test
diff --git a/smack-experimental/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/reference/ReferenceTest.java b/smack-experimental/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/reference/ReferenceTest.java
index e69f0a584..b53eff5e4 100644
--- a/smack-experimental/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/reference/ReferenceTest.java
+++ b/smack-experimental/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/reference/ReferenceTest.java
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ public class ReferenceTest extends SmackTestSuite {
 
     @Test
     public void typeArgumentNullTest() throws URISyntaxException {
-        assertThrows(NullPointerException.class, () ->
+        assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () ->
         new ReferenceElement(1, 2, null, null, new URI("xmpp:test@test.test")));
     }
 
diff --git a/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java b/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java
index a1277f86e..6023f257e 100644
--- a/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java
+++ b/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleContentTest.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ import org.junit.Test;
  */
 public class JingleContentTest extends SmackTestSuite {
 
-    @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
+    @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
     public void emptyBuilderThrowsTest() {
         JingleContent.Builder builder = JingleContent.getBuilder();
         builder.build();
diff --git a/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleTest.java b/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleTest.java
index c7827e475..70933bde2 100644
--- a/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleTest.java
+++ b/smack-extensions/src/test/java/org/jivesoftware/smackx/jingle/JingleTest.java
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ public class JingleTest extends SmackTestSuite {
         builder.build();
     }
 
-    @Test(expected = NullPointerException.class)
+    @Test(expected = IllegalArgumentException.class)
     public void onlySessionIdBuilderTest() {
         String sessionId = "testSessionId";