diff --git a/sdks/java/core/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/util/SerializableUtils.java b/sdks/java/core/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/util/SerializableUtils.java
index fe148d91782..20dfcf75cc4 100644
--- a/sdks/java/core/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/util/SerializableUtils.java
+++ b/sdks/java/core/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/util/SerializableUtils.java
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ public static byte[] serializeToByteArray(Serializable value) {
       try {
         throw new IllegalArgumentException("unable to serialize " + ow.writeValueAsString(value), exn);
       } catch (JsonProcessingException ex) {
-        IllegalArgumentException("unable to jsonify " + value, exn);
+        throw new IllegalArgumentException("unable to jsonify " + value, exn);
       }
     }
   }