diff --git a/lib/Doctrine/Table.php b/lib/Doctrine/Table.php
index 112cc2fe4..556a281ac 100644
--- a/lib/Doctrine/Table.php
+++ b/lib/Doctrine/Table.php
@@ -198,10 +198,14 @@ class Doctrine_Table extends Doctrine_Configurable implements Countable
                 break;
             }
 
-            $name  = $class;
+            $name = $class;
             $names[] = $name;
         } while ($class = get_parent_class($class));
 
+        if ($class === false) {
+            throw new Doctrine_Table_Exception('Unknown component.');
+        }
+
         // reverse names
         $names = array_reverse($names);
         // save parents