diff --git a/res/controllers/midi-components-0.0.js b/res/controllers/midi-components-0.0.js
index 3a87fec128d3..652e5d613c59 100644
--- a/res/controllers/midi-components-0.0.js
+++ b/res/controllers/midi-components-0.0.js
@@ -291,8 +291,7 @@
 
     var HotcueButton = function(options) {
         if (options.number === undefined) {
-            print("ERROR: No hotcue number specified for new HotcueButton.");
-            return;
+            throw Error("No hotcue number specified for new HotcueButton.");
         }
         if (options.colorMapper !== undefined || options.sendRGB !== undefined) {
             this.colorKey = "hotcue_" + options.number + "_color";
@@ -334,18 +333,18 @@
                 // get the MIDI value for the nearest supported color and send it.
                 var nearestColorValue = this.colorMapper.getValueForNearestColor(colorCode);
                 this.send(nearestColorValue);
-            } else {
+            } else if (this.sendRGB !== undefined) {
                 // Since outputColor has been called but no ColorMapper is
                 // available, we can assume that controller supports arbitrary
                 // RGB color output.
                 this.sendRGB(colorCodeToObject(colorCode));
+            } else {
+                throw Error(
+                    "HotcueButton is unable to send RGB color: colorKey has " +
+                    "been set, but no color mapper was specified and the " +
+                    "sendRGB(colorObject) method is not implemented!");
             }
         },
-        sendRGB: function(_colorObject) {
-            // This method needs to be overridden in controller mappings,
-            // because the procedure is controller-dependent.
-            throw Error("sendRGB(colorObject) not implemented - unable to send RGB colors!");
-        },
         connect: function() {
             Button.prototype.connect.call(this); // call parent connect
             if (undefined !== this.group && this.colorKey !== undefined) {
@@ -359,8 +358,7 @@
     });
     var SamplerButton = function(options) {
         if (options.number === undefined) {
-            print("ERROR: No sampler number specified for new SamplerButton.");
-            return;
+            throw Error("No sampler number specified for new SamplerButton.");
         }
         this.volumeByVelocity = options.volumeByVelocity;
         this.number = options.number;
@@ -509,8 +507,7 @@
     ComponentContainer.prototype = {
         forEachComponent: function(operation, recursive) {
             if (typeof operation !== "function") {
-                print("ERROR: ComponentContainer.forEachComponent requires a function argument");
-                return;
+                throw Error("ComponentContainer.forEachComponent requires a function argument");
             }
             if (recursive === undefined) { recursive = true; }
 
@@ -535,8 +532,7 @@
         },
         forEachComponentContainer: function(operation, recursive) {
             if (typeof operation !== "function") {
-                print("ERROR: ComponentContainer.forEachComponentContainer requires a function argument");
-                return;
+                throw Error("ComponentContainer.forEachComponentContainer requires a function argument");
             }
             if (recursive === undefined) { recursive = true; }
 
@@ -677,8 +673,7 @@
                 this.deckNumbers = [deckNumbers];
             }
         } else {
-            print("ERROR! new Deck() called without specifying any deck numbers");
-            return;
+            throw Error("new Deck() called without specifying any deck numbers");
         }
     };
     Deck.prototype = new ComponentContainer({
@@ -827,8 +822,7 @@
                 this.setCurrentUnit(unitNumbers);
             }
         } else {
-            print("ERROR! new EffectUnit() called without specifying any unit numbers!");
-            return;
+            throw Error("new EffectUnit() called without specifying any unit numbers!");
         }
 
         this.dryWetKnob = new Pot({