diff --git a/robolectric/src/test/java/org/robolectric/RobolectricTestRunnerTest.java b/robolectric/src/test/java/org/robolectric/RobolectricTestRunnerTest.java
index a3ef0fcf9da..737af48498e 100644
--- a/robolectric/src/test/java/org/robolectric/RobolectricTestRunnerTest.java
+++ b/robolectric/src/test/java/org/robolectric/RobolectricTestRunnerTest.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 import org.robolectric.annotation.Config.Implementation;
 import org.robolectric.annotation.experimental.LazyApplication;
 import org.robolectric.annotation.experimental.LazyApplication.LazyLoad;
+import org.robolectric.config.ConfigurationRegistry;
 import org.robolectric.internal.AndroidSandbox.TestEnvironmentSpec;
 import org.robolectric.internal.ResourcesMode;
 import org.robolectric.internal.ShadowProvider;
@@ -163,10 +164,10 @@ public void failureInResetterDoesntBreakAllTests() throws Exception {
     assertThat(events)
         .containsExactly(
             "started: first",
-            "failure: ShadowActivityThread.reset: ActivityThread not set",
+            "failure: fake error in setUpApplicationState",
             "finished: first",
             "started: second",
-            "failure: ShadowActivityThread.reset: ActivityThread not set",
+            "failure: fake error in setUpApplicationState",
             "finished: second")
         .inOrder();
   }
@@ -337,6 +338,9 @@ public AndroidTestEnvironmentWithFailingSetUp(
     @Override
     public void setUpApplicationState(Method method,
         Configuration configuration, AndroidManifest appManifest) {
+      // ConfigurationRegistry.instance is required for resetters.
+      Config config = configuration.get(Config.class);
+      ConfigurationRegistry.instance = new ConfigurationRegistry(configuration.map());
       throw new RuntimeException("fake error in setUpApplicationState");
     }
   }
diff --git a/shadows/framework/src/main/java/org/robolectric/shadows/ShadowActivityThread.java b/shadows/framework/src/main/java/org/robolectric/shadows/ShadowActivityThread.java
index f1ffe507523..852919a4d84 100644
--- a/shadows/framework/src/main/java/org/robolectric/shadows/ShadowActivityThread.java
+++ b/shadows/framework/src/main/java/org/robolectric/shadows/ShadowActivityThread.java
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 import java.util.Collections;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
-import java.util.Objects;
 import javax.annotation.Nonnull;
 import org.robolectric.RuntimeEnvironment;
 import org.robolectric.annotation.Implementation;
@@ -35,6 +34,7 @@
 import org.robolectric.annotation.RealObject;
 import org.robolectric.annotation.ReflectorObject;
 import org.robolectric.annotation.Resetter;
+import org.robolectric.util.Logger;
 import org.robolectric.util.ReflectionHelpers;
 import org.robolectric.util.reflector.Accessor;
 import org.robolectric.util.reflector.ForType;
@@ -281,7 +281,12 @@ private interface ActivityClientRecordReflector {
   @Resetter
   public static void reset() {
     Object activityThread = RuntimeEnvironment.getActivityThread();
-    Objects.requireNonNull(activityThread, "ShadowActivityThread.reset: ActivityThread not set");
-    reflector(_ActivityThread_.class, activityThread).getActivities().clear();
+    if (activityThread == null) {
+      Logger.warn(
+          "RuntimeEnvironment.getActivityThread() is null, an error likely occurred during test"
+              + " initialization.");
+    } else {
+      reflector(_ActivityThread_.class, activityThread).getActivities().clear();
+    }
   }
 }