If a portlet application context is missing the SpringPortletChannelImpl throws a NullPointerException instead of providing a more descriptive error message.

java.lang.NullPointerException
        at org.jasig.portal.channels.portlet.SpringPortletChannelImpl.render(SpringPortletChannelImpl.java:448)
        at org.jasig.portal.channels.portlet.CSpringPortletAdaptor.renderCharacters(CSpringPortletAdaptor.java:184)
        at org.jasig.portal.ChannelRenderer$Worker.execute(ChannelRenderer.java:545)
        at org.jasig.portal.utils.threading.BaseTask.run(BaseTask.java:27)
        at java.util.concurrent.Executors$RunnableAdapter.call(Executors.java:441)
        at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask$Sync.innerRun(FutureTask.java:303)
        at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:138)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.runTask(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:885)
        at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:907)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)