diff --git a/Java/src/main/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItem.java b/Java/src/main/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItem.java
index c024487c..8dc51705 100644
--- a/Java/src/main/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItem.java
+++ b/Java/src/main/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItem.java
@@ -4,11 +4,22 @@ import com.gildedrose.Item;
 
 public class BaseItem {
     private final Item item;
-    private final static int MIN_QUALITY = 0;
+    protected final static int MIN_QUALITY = 0;
     public BaseItem(Item item) {
+        validate(item);
         this.item = item;
     }
 
+    private void validate(Item item) {
+        if(item.quality < MIN_QUALITY) {
+            throw new IllegalArgumentException(
+                "Item has a quality out of accepted boundaries. Minimum acceptable quality is "
+                    +  " but received "
+                    + item.quality
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     public int getSellIn() {
         return item.sellIn;
     }
diff --git a/Java/src/test/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItemTest.java b/Java/src/test/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItemTest.java
index fb0c7d3b..3601a82d 100644
--- a/Java/src/test/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItemTest.java
+++ b/Java/src/test/java/com/gildedrose/model/BaseItemTest.java
@@ -72,4 +72,9 @@ class BaseItemTest {
         assertEquals(0, testItem.getQuality());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void givenAnItemWithLessThanMinimumQuality_whenCreated_thenAnExceptionIsThrown() {
+        assertThrows(IllegalArgumentException.class, () -> new BaseItem(new Item("test_item", -1, BaseItem.MIN_QUALITY - 1)));
+    }
+
 }