diff --git a/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapter.php b/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapter.php
index 03ebdfd..bd06de5 100644
--- a/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapter.php
+++ b/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapter.php
@@ -118,6 +118,12 @@ public function createAutoRoute($uri, $contentDocument, $autoRouteTag)
     {
         $path = $this->baseRoutePath;
         $document = $parentDocument = $this->dm->find(null, $path);
+        if (null === $parentDocument) {
+            throw new \RuntimeException(sprintf('The "route_basepath" configuration points to a non-existant path "%s".',
+                $path
+            ));
+        }
+
         $segments = preg_split('#/#', $uri, null, PREG_SPLIT_NO_EMPTY);
         $headName = array_pop($segments);
         foreach ($segments as $segment) {
diff --git a/Tests/Unit/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapterTest.php b/Tests/Unit/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapterTest.php
index e2cdcc3..a3e0a8f 100644
--- a/Tests/Unit/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapterTest.php
+++ b/Tests/Unit/Adapter/PhpcrOdmAdapterTest.php
@@ -126,6 +126,18 @@ public function testCreateAutoRoute($path, $expectedParentPath, $expectedName, $
         $this->assertSame($this->contentDocument, $res->getContent());
     }
 
+    /**
+     * @expectedException \RuntimeException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage configuration points to a non-existant path
+     */
+    public function testCreateAutoRouteNonExistingBasePath()
+    {
+        $this->dm->getPhpcrSession()->willReturn($this->phpcrSession);
+        $this->dm->find(null, $this->baseRoutePath)->willReturn(null);
+        $this->adapter->createAutoRoute('/foo', $this->contentDocument, 'fr');
+    }
+
+
     public function testGetRealClassName()
     {
         $res = $this->adapter->getRealClassName('Class/Foo');