Index: src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/search/SearchCompiler.java
===================================================================
--- src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/search/SearchCompiler.java	(revision 14560)
+++ src/org/openstreetmap/josm/data/osm/search/SearchCompiler.java	(working copy)
@@ -2010,6 +2010,8 @@
             };
         } catch (ParseException e) {
             throw new SearchParseError(tr("Failed to parse MapCSS selector"), e);
+        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+            throw new SearchParseError(tr("Failed to parse MapCSS selector"), e);
         }
     }