if (reference == null) {
      throw new NullPointerException(Platform.lenientFormat(errorMessageTemplate, p1, p2, p3, p4));
    }
    return reference;
  }

  /*
   * All recent hotspots (as of 2009) *really* like to have the natural code
   *
   * if (guardExpression) {
   *    throw new BadException(messageExpression);
   * }
   *