diff --git a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
index 09c128977e..71f05c6e72 100644
--- a/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
+++ b/source/java/org/alfresco/rest/api/impl/NodesImpl.java
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ import org.alfresco.rest.api.Nodes;
 import org.alfresco.rest.api.QuickShareLinks;
 import org.alfresco.rest.api.model.AssocChild;
 import org.alfresco.rest.api.model.AssocTarget;
-import org.alfresco.rest.api.model.ContentInfo;
 import org.alfresco.rest.api.model.Document;
 import org.alfresco.rest.api.model.Folder;
 import org.alfresco.rest.api.model.Node;
@@ -136,8 +135,6 @@ import org.apache.commons.logging.LogFactory;
 import org.springframework.dao.ConcurrencyFailureException;
 import org.springframework.extensions.surf.util.Content;
 import org.springframework.extensions.webscripts.servlet.FormData;
-import org.springframework.http.InvalidMediaTypeException;
-import org.springframework.http.MediaType;
 
 import java.io.BufferedInputStream;
 import java.io.ByteArrayInputStream;
@@ -361,6 +358,12 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
     @Override
     public NodeRef validateNode(String nodeId)
     {
+        //belts-and-braces
+        if (nodeId == null)
+        {
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException("Missing nodeId");
+        }
+
         return validateNode(StoreRef.STORE_REF_WORKSPACE_SPACESSTORE, nodeId);
     }
 
@@ -1678,11 +1681,17 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
 
         for (AssocChild assoc : entities)
         {
+            String childId = assoc.getChildId();
+            if (childId == null)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException("Missing childId");
+            }
+
             QName assocTypeQName = getAssocType(assoc.getAssocType());
 
             try
             {
-                NodeRef childNodeRef = validateNode(assoc.getChildId());
+                NodeRef childNodeRef = validateNode(childId);
 
                 String nodeName = (String)nodeService.getProperty(childNodeRef, ContentModel.PROP_NAME);
                 QName assocChildQName = QName.createQName(NamespaceService.CONTENT_MODEL_1_0_URI, QName.createValidLocalName(nodeName));
@@ -1712,11 +1721,14 @@ public class NodesImpl implements Nodes
 
         for (AssocTarget assoc : entities)
         {
+            String targetNodeId = assoc.getTargetId();
+            if (targetNodeId == null)
+            {
+                throw new InvalidArgumentException("Missing targetId");
+            }
+
             String assocTypeStr = assoc.getAssocType();
             QName assocTypeQName = getAssocType(assocTypeStr);
-
-            String targetNodeId = assoc.getTargetId();
-
             try
             {
                 NodeRef tgtNodeRef = validateNode(targetNodeId);
diff --git a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeAssociationsApiTest.java b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeAssociationsApiTest.java
index 39389adf6c..58ef679773 100644
--- a/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeAssociationsApiTest.java
+++ b/source/test-java/org/alfresco/rest/api/tests/NodeAssociationsApiTest.java
@@ -1488,6 +1488,8 @@ public class NodeAssociationsApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
         response = post(getNodeChildrenUrl(myFolderNodeId), user1, toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 201);
         String f2Id = RestApiUtil.parseRestApiEntry(response.getJsonResponse(), Node.class).getId();
 
+        String f3Id = createFolder(user1, myFolderNodeId, "f3").getId();
+
         try
         {
             Paging paging = getPaging(0, 100);
@@ -1506,13 +1508,42 @@ public class NodeAssociationsApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
 
 
             // -ve test -  minor: error code if creating a cyclic child assoc (REPO-475)
-            String myNodeId = getMyNodeId(user1);
             n = new Node();
-            n.setName("my-folder-1");
+            n.setName("my-folder");
             n.setNodeType(TYPE_CM_FOLDER);
-            AssocChild assocChild = new AssocChild(myNodeId, "cm:contains");
+            AssocChild assocChild = new AssocChild(myFolderNodeId, "cm:contains");
             n.setSecondaryChildren(Collections.singletonList(assocChild));
-            post(getNodeChildrenUrl(myNodeId), user1, RestApiUtil.toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 400);
+            post(getNodeChildrenUrl(myFolderNodeId), user1, RestApiUtil.toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 400);
+
+            // -ve tests - missing targetId / childId or assocType
+
+            n = new Node();
+            n.setName("my-folder");
+            n.setNodeType(TYPE_CM_FOLDER);
+            assocChild = new AssocChild(null, ASSOC_TYPE_CM_CONTAINS);
+            n.setSecondaryChildren(Collections.singletonList(assocChild));
+            post(getNodeChildrenUrl(f3Id), user1, RestApiUtil.toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 400);
+
+            n = new Node();
+            n.setName("my-folder");
+            n.setNodeType(TYPE_CM_FOLDER);
+            assocChild = new AssocChild(f2Id, null);
+            n.setSecondaryChildren(Collections.singletonList(assocChild));
+            post(getNodeChildrenUrl(f3Id), user1, RestApiUtil.toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 400);
+
+            n = new Node();
+            n.setName("my-folder");
+            n.setNodeType(TYPE_CM_FOLDER);
+            tgt = new AssocTarget(null, ASSOC_TYPE_CM_REFERENCES);
+            n.setTargets(Collections.singletonList(tgt));
+            post(getNodeChildrenUrl(f3Id), user1, RestApiUtil.toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 400);
+
+            n = new Node();
+            n.setName("my-folder");
+            n.setNodeType(TYPE_CM_FOLDER);
+            tgt = new AssocTarget(f2Id, null);
+            n.setTargets(Collections.singletonList(tgt));
+            post(getNodeChildrenUrl(f3Id), user1, RestApiUtil.toJsonAsStringNonNull(n), 400);
         }
         finally
         {
@@ -1520,6 +1551,7 @@ public class NodeAssociationsApiTest extends AbstractBaseApiTest
             Map<String, String> params = Collections.singletonMap(Nodes.PARAM_PERMANENT, "true");
             delete(URL_NODES, user1, f1Id, params, 204);
             delete(URL_NODES, user1, f2Id, params, 204);
+            delete(URL_NODES, user1, f3Id, params, 204);
         }
     }