diff --git a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/produce/function/internal/PatternRenderer.java b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/produce/function/internal/PatternRenderer.java
index 1d66b15d270c..bb14a6d012b7 100644
--- a/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/produce/function/internal/PatternRenderer.java
+++ b/hibernate-core/src/main/java/org/hibernate/query/sqm/produce/function/internal/PatternRenderer.java
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ else if ( c  == '?' ) {
 					vararg = paramList.size();
 				}
 				else {
-					final int paramNumber = parseInt( index.toString() );
+					final int paramNumber = parameterIndex( pattern, index.toString() );
 					paramList.add( paramNumber );
 					index.setLength(0);
 					if ( paramNumber > max ) {
@@ -126,6 +126,21 @@ else if ( c  == '?' ) {
 		this.argumentRenderingModes = argumentRenderingModes;
 	}
 
+	private static int parameterIndex(String pattern, String index) {
+		if ( index.isEmpty() ) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException( "Missing parameter index in pattern: '" + pattern + "'" );
+		}
+		final int paramNumber;
+		try {
+			paramNumber = parseInt( index );
+		}
+		catch (NumberFormatException nfe) {
+			throw new IllegalArgumentException( "Illegal parameter index '" + index
+												+ "' in pattern: '" + pattern + "'", nfe );
+		}
+		return paramNumber;
+	}
+
 	public boolean hasVarargs() {
 		return varargParam >= 0;
 	}