IllegalStateException in Java — What It Means and How to Fix It

What Java's IllegalStateException means and how to fix it.

Published November 2, 2026

IllegalStateException is thrown to indicate a method was called at a time when the object isn't in an appropriate state for it.

Key points

  • Read the full stack trace from the top — it names the exact class, method, and line where the exception originated

Example

For example, calling next() on an Iterator that has no more elements
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