diff --git a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/AbstractLicenseNameMojo.java b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/AbstractLicenseNameMojo.java
index 433236bed..1813493cd 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/AbstractLicenseNameMojo.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/AbstractLicenseNameMojo.java
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ public abstract class AbstractLicenseNameMojo extends AbstractLicenseMojo {
      * @parameter property="license.licenseName"
      * @since 1.0
      */
-    @Parameter(property = "license.licenseName")
+    @Parameter(property = "license.licenseName", required = true)
     private String licenseName;
 
     /**
@@ -227,9 +227,6 @@ protected void init() throws Exception {
     // ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 
     protected License getLicense(String licenseName, boolean checkIfExists) {
-        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(licenseName)) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("licenseName can not be null, nor empty");
-        }
         if (licenseStore == null) {
             throw new IllegalStateException("No license store initialized!");
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/model/LicenseRepository.java b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/model/LicenseRepository.java
index 234911e0e..6ad14b00c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/model/LicenseRepository.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/codehaus/mojo/license/model/LicenseRepository.java
@@ -165,9 +165,6 @@ public License[] getLicenses() {
 
     public License getLicense(String licenseName) {
         checkInit("getLicense");
-        if (StringUtils.isEmpty(licenseName)) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException("licenceName can not be null, nor empty");
-        }
 
         License license = null;
         for (License l : this) {