diff --git a/backup/converter/moodle1/lib.php b/backup/converter/moodle1/lib.php
index 9d231476597..dcee200c6e4 100644
--- a/backup/converter/moodle1/lib.php
+++ b/backup/converter/moodle1/lib.php
@@ -280,7 +280,7 @@ class moodle1_converter extends base_converter {
         $returned = null; // data returned by the processing method, if any
 
         if (empty($object)) {
-            throw new convert_exception('missing_processing_object', $object);
+            throw new convert_exception('missing_processing_object', null, $data['path']);
         }
 
         // release the lock if we aren't anymore within children of it