diff --git a/src/darkleaf/di/core.clj b/src/darkleaf/di/core.clj
index 3da8438..604afa4 100644
--- a/src/darkleaf/di/core.clj
+++ b/src/darkleaf/di/core.clj
@@ -92,11 +92,12 @@
      :declared-deps  deps
      :remaining-deps (seq deps)}))
 
-(defn- build-obj [built-map head]
+(defn- build-obj [built-map head stack]
   (let [factory       (:factory head)
         declared-deps (:declared-deps head)
         built-deps    (select-keys built-map (keys declared-deps))]
-    (p/build factory built-deps)))
+    (p/build factory
+             (with-meta built-deps {::build-stack stack}))))
 
 (defn- build [{:keys [registry *stop-list]} key]
   (loop [stack     (list (stack-frame key :required (registry key)))
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@
                    built-map))
 
           :else
-          (let [obj  (build-obj built-map head)
+          (let [obj  (build-obj built-map head stack)
                 stop #(p/demolish factory obj)]
             (vswap! *stop-list conj stop)
             (case [obj dep-type]
@@ -592,12 +593,25 @@
 (defn- stop-fn [variable]
   (-> variable meta (::stop (fn no-op [_]))))
 
+(defn- no-value-component! [stack]
+  (let [key (-> stack peek :key)]
+    (throw (ex-info (str "Component returned no value " key)
+                    {:type  ::component-no-value
+                     :stack (map :key stack)}))))
+
+(defn- ensure-component-result! [result stack]
+  (if (nil? result)
+    (no-value-component! stack)
+    result))
+
 (defn- var->0-component [variable]
   (let [stop (stop-fn variable)]
     (reify p/Factory
       (dependencies [_])
-      (build [_ _]
-        (variable))
+      (build [_ empty-deps]
+        (ensure-component-result!
+          (variable)
+          (::build-stack (meta empty-deps))))
       (demolish [_ obj]
         (stop obj)))))
 
@@ -608,7 +622,9 @@
       (dependencies [_]
         deps)
       (build [_ deps]
-        (variable deps))
+        (ensure-component-result!
+          (variable deps)
+          (::build-stack (meta deps))))
       (demolish [_ obj]
         (stop obj)))))
 
diff --git a/test/darkleaf/di/dependencies_test.clj b/test/darkleaf/di/dependencies_test.clj
index 7b20051..997b39a 100644
--- a/test/darkleaf/di/dependencies_test.clj
+++ b/test/darkleaf/di/dependencies_test.clj
@@ -97,6 +97,21 @@
            (try-ex-data (di/start `parent)))))
 
 
+(defn ^{::di/kind :component} component-no-value
+  [])
+
+
+(defn parent-2
+  [{::syms [component-no-value]}]
+  :done)
+
+
+(t/deftest component-no-value-exception-test
+  (t/is (= {:type  ::di/component-no-value
+            :stack [`component-no-value `parent-2 ::di/implicit-root]}
+           (try-ex-data (di/start `parent-2)))))
+
+
 (defn recursion-a
   [{::syms [recursion-b]}]
   :done)