diff --git a/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Dir.php b/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Dir.php
index 936fce3a046b7..688c7c43ac0e4 100644
--- a/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Dir.php
+++ b/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Dir.php
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ public function getDir($moduleName, $type = '')
     {
         $path = $this->componentRegistrar->getPath(ComponentRegistrar::MODULE, $moduleName);
 
+        // An empty $type means it's getting the directory of the module itself.
+        if (empty($type) && !isset($path)) {
+            // Note: do not throw \LogicException, as it would break backwards-compatibility.
+            throw new \InvalidArgumentException("Module '$moduleName' is not correctly registered.");
+        }
+
         if ($type) {
             if (!in_array($type, [
                 self::MODULE_ETC_DIR,
diff --git a/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Test/Unit/DirTest.php b/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Test/Unit/DirTest.php
index 335228888cc4b..055e4be71baf1 100644
--- a/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Test/Unit/DirTest.php
+++ b/lib/internal/Magento/Framework/Module/Test/Unit/DirTest.php
@@ -59,4 +59,17 @@ public function testGetDirModuleSubDirUnknown()
 
         $this->_model->getDir('Test_Module', 'unknown');
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException \InvalidArgumentException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage Module 'Test Module' is not correctly registered.
+     */
+    public function testGetDirModuleIncorrectlyRegistered()
+    {
+        $this->moduleRegistryMock->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('getPath')
+            ->with($this->identicalTo(ComponentRegistrar::MODULE), $this->identicalTo('Test Module'))
+            ->willReturn(null);
+        $this->_model->getDir('Test Module');
+    }
 }