diff --git a/src/Microsoft.ML.Data/DataLoadSave/Text/TextLoader.cs b/src/Microsoft.ML.Data/DataLoadSave/Text/TextLoader.cs
index c4eaf27d68..6ead7a1578 100644
--- a/src/Microsoft.ML.Data/DataLoadSave/Text/TextLoader.cs
+++ b/src/Microsoft.ML.Data/DataLoadSave/Text/TextLoader.cs
@@ -1460,7 +1460,8 @@ internal static TextLoader CreateTextLoader<TInput>(IHostEnvironment host,
                 var memberInfo = memberInfos[index];
                 var mappingAttr = memberInfo.GetCustomAttribute<LoadColumnAttribute>();
 
-                host.Assert(mappingAttr != null, $"Field or property {memberInfo.Name} is missing the {nameof(LoadColumnAttribute)} attribute");
+                if (mappingAttr == null)
+                    throw host.Except($"{(memberInfo is FieldInfo ? "Field" : "Property")} '{memberInfo.Name}' is missing the {nameof(LoadColumnAttribute)} attribute");
 
                 var mappingAttrName = memberInfo.GetCustomAttribute<ColumnNameAttribute>();
 
diff --git a/test/Microsoft.ML.Tests/TextLoaderTests.cs b/test/Microsoft.ML.Tests/TextLoaderTests.cs
index 06f455d8f7..e22df9aabb 100644
--- a/test/Microsoft.ML.Tests/TextLoaderTests.cs
+++ b/test/Microsoft.ML.Tests/TextLoaderTests.cs
@@ -589,13 +589,8 @@ public void CanSuccessfullyTrimSpaces()
         public void ThrowsExceptionWithPropertyName()
         {
             var mlContext = new MLContext(seed: 1);
-            try
-            {
-                mlContext.Data.LoadFromTextFile<ModelWithoutColumnAttribute>("fakefile.txt");
-            }
-            // REVIEW: the issue of different exceptions being thrown is tracked under #2037.
-            catch (Xunit.Sdk.TrueException) { }
-            catch (NullReferenceException) { };
+            var ex = Assert.Throws<InvalidOperationException>(() => mlContext.Data.LoadFromTextFile<ModelWithoutColumnAttribute>("fakefile.txt"));
+            Assert.StartsWith($"Field 'String1' is missing the {nameof(LoadColumnAttribute)} attribute", ex.Message);
         }
 
         [Fact]