Index: kernel/include/IMP/DecoratorBase.h
===================================================================
--- kernel/include/IMP/DecoratorBase.h	(revision 528)
+++ kernel/include/IMP/DecoratorBase.h	(working copy)
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@
 {
 protected:
   internal::ObjectPointer<Particle, true> particle_;
-  DecoratorBase(Particle *p): particle_(p) {}
+  DecoratorBase(Particle *p): particle_(p) {
+  }
   bool is_default() const {
     return !particle_;
   }
@@ -55,11 +56,10 @@
   static D cast(Particle *p) {
     IMP_CHECK_OBJECT(p);
     D:: decorator_initialize_static_data();
-    IMP_check(D::has_required_attributes(p),
-              "Attempting to cast a Particle which does not have"
-              " some required attributes",
-              InvalidStateException("Particle missing required attribues"\
-                                    " in cast"));
+    if (!D::has_required_attributes(p)) {
+      throw InvalidStateException("Particle missing required attribues"\
+                                  " in cast");
+    }
     return D(p);
   }