--- a/src/share/classes/sun/swing/DefaultLayoutStyle.java	Wed Aug 17 12:45:20 2011 +0400
+++ b/src/share/classes/sun/swing/DefaultLayoutStyle.java	Wed Aug 17 12:58:46 2011 +0400
@@ -48,10 +48,12 @@
     @Override
     public int getPreferredGap(JComponent component1, JComponent component2,
             ComponentPlacement type, int position, Container parent) {
-
         if (component1 == null || component2 == null || type == null) {
             throw new NullPointerException();
         }
+
+        checkPosition(position);
+
         if (type == ComponentPlacement.INDENT &&
                 (position == SwingConstants.EAST ||
                  position == SwingConstants.WEST)) {

--- /dev/null	Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 1970 +0000
+++ b/test/javax/swing/GroupLayout/7071166/bug7071166.java	Wed Aug 17 12:58:46 2011 +0400
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2011, Oracle and/or its affiliates. All rights reserved.
+ * DO NOT ALTER OR REMOVE COPYRIGHT NOTICES OR THIS FILE HEADER.
+ *
+ * This code is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
+ * under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 only, as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation.
+ *
+ * This code is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT
+ * ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or
+ * FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU General Public License
+ * version 2 for more details (a copy is included in the LICENSE file that
+ * accompanied this code).
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License version
+ * 2 along with this work; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation,
+ * Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+ *
+ * Please contact Oracle, 500 Oracle Parkway, Redwood Shores, CA 94065 USA
+ * or visit www.oracle.com if you need additional information or have any
+ * questions.
+ */
+
+/*
+ * @test
+ * @bug 7071166
+ * @summary LayoutStyle.getPreferredGap() - IAE is expected but not thrown
+ * @author Pavel Porvatov
+ */
+
+import javax.swing.*;
+import static javax.swing.SwingConstants.*;
+import java.awt.*;
+
+public class bug7071166 {
+    private static final int[] POSITIONS = {NORTH, EAST, SOUTH, WEST, // valid positions
+            NORTH_EAST, SOUTH_EAST, SOUTH_WEST, NORTH_WEST, 123, -456}; // invalid positions
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
+        for (UIManager.LookAndFeelInfo lookAndFeelInfo : UIManager.getInstalledLookAndFeels()) {
+            UIManager.setLookAndFeel(lookAndFeelInfo.getClassName());
+
+            System.out.println("LookAndFeel: " + lookAndFeelInfo.getName());
+
+            SwingUtilities.invokeAndWait(new Runnable() {
+                public void run() {
+                    LayoutStyle layoutStyle = LayoutStyle.getInstance();
+
+                    System.out.println("LayoutStyle: " + layoutStyle);
+
+                    for (int i = 0; i < POSITIONS.length; i++) {
+                        int position = POSITIONS[i];
+
+                        try {
+                            layoutStyle.getPreferredGap(new JButton(), new JButton(),
+                                    LayoutStyle.ComponentPlacement.RELATED, position, new Container());
+
+                            if (i > 3) {
+                                throw new RuntimeException("IllegalArgumentException is not thrown for position " +
+                                        position);
+                            }
+                        } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
+                            if (i <= 3) {
+                                throw new RuntimeException("IllegalArgumentException is thrown for position " +
+                                        position);
+                            }
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            });
+
+            System.out.println("passed");
+        }
+    }
+}