diff --git a/maven-resolver-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifact.java b/maven-resolver-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifact.java
index 6003756..0fdb62c 100644
--- a/maven-resolver-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifact.java
+++ b/maven-resolver-api/src/main/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifact.java
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@
      * 
      * @param coords The artifact coordinates in the format
      *            {@code <groupId>:<artifactId>[:<extension>[:<classifier>]]:<version>}, must not be {@code null}.
+     *
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException If the artifact coordinates found in {@code coords} do not match the expected
+     * format.
      */
     public DefaultArtifact( String coords )
     {
@@ -69,6 +72,9 @@
      * @param coords The artifact coordinates in the format
      *            {@code <groupId>:<artifactId>[:<extension>[:<classifier>]]:<version>}, must not be {@code null}.
      * @param properties The artifact properties, may be {@code null}.
+     *
+     * @throws IllegalArgumentException If the artifact coordinates found in {@code coords} do not match the expected
+     * format.
      */
     public DefaultArtifact( String coords, Map<String, String> properties )
     {
diff --git a/maven-resolver-api/src/test/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifactTest.java b/maven-resolver-api/src/test/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifactTest.java
index d8ac40c..49773ab 100644
--- a/maven-resolver-api/src/test/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifactTest.java
+++ b/maven-resolver-api/src/test/java/org/eclipse/aether/artifact/DefaultArtifactTest.java
@@ -91,11 +91,17 @@
     }
 
     @Test( expected = IllegalArgumentException.class )
-    public void testDefaultArtifactBadString()
+    public void testDefaultArtifactContainsGroupAndArtifactOnly()
     {
         new DefaultArtifact( "gid:aid" );
     }
 
+    @Test( expected = IllegalArgumentException.class )
+    public void testDefaultArtifactContainsGroupOnly()
+    {
+        new DefaultArtifact( "gid" );
+    }
+
     @Test
     public void testImmutability()
     {