Index: src/components/org/apache/jmeter/control/gui/TreeNodeWrapper.java
===================================================================
--- src/components/org/apache/jmeter/control/gui/TreeNodeWrapper.java	(revision 1647388)
+++ src/components/org/apache/jmeter/control/gui/TreeNodeWrapper.java	(working copy)
@@ -43,4 +43,11 @@
     public String toString() {
         return label;
     }
+
+    /**
+     * @return the label
+     */
+    public String getLabel() {
+        return label;
+    }
 }
Index: src/core/org/apache/jmeter/resources/messages.properties
===================================================================
--- src/core/org/apache/jmeter/resources/messages.properties	(revision 1647388)
+++ src/core/org/apache/jmeter/resources/messages.properties	(working copy)
@@ -739,6 +739,7 @@
 provider_url=Provider URL
 proxy_assertions=Add Assertions
 proxy_cl_error=If specifying a proxy server, host and port must be given
+proxy_cl_wrong_target_cl=Target Controller is configured to "Use Recording Controller" but no such controller exists, \nensure you add a Recording Controller as child of Thread Group node to start recording correctly
 proxy_content_type_exclude=Exclude\:
 proxy_content_type_filter=Content-type filter
 proxy_content_type_include=Include\:
Index: src/core/org/apache/jmeter/resources/messages_fr.properties
===================================================================
--- src/core/org/apache/jmeter/resources/messages_fr.properties	(revision 1647388)
+++ src/core/org/apache/jmeter/resources/messages_fr.properties	(working copy)
@@ -724,6 +724,7 @@
 provider_url=Provider URL
 proxy_assertions=Ajouter une Assertion R\u00E9ponse
 proxy_cl_error=Si un serveur proxy est sp\u00E9cifi\u00E9, h\u00F4te et port doivent \u00EAtre donn\u00E9
+proxy_cl_wrong_target_cl=Le contr\u00F4leur cible est configur\u00E9 en mode "Utiliser un contr\u00F4leur enregistreur" \nmais aucun contr\u00F4leur de ce type n'existe, assurez vous de l'ajouter comme fils \nde Groupe d'unit\u00E9s afin de pouvoir d\u00E9marrer l'enregisteur
 proxy_content_type_exclude=Exclure \:
 proxy_content_type_filter=Filtre de type de contenu
 proxy_content_type_include=Inclure \:
Index: src/protocol/http/org/apache/jmeter/protocol/http/proxy/ProxyControl.java
===================================================================
--- src/protocol/http/org/apache/jmeter/protocol/http/proxy/ProxyControl.java	(revision 1647388)
+++ src/protocol/http/org/apache/jmeter/protocol/http/proxy/ProxyControl.java	(working copy)
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@
      * @return the tree node for the controller where the proxy must store the
      *         generated samplers.
      */
-    private JMeterTreeNode findTargetControllerNode() {
+    public JMeterTreeNode findTargetControllerNode() {
         JMeterTreeNode myTarget = getTarget();
         if (myTarget != null) {
             return myTarget;
Index: src/protocol/http/org/apache/jmeter/protocol/http/proxy/gui/ProxyControlGui.java
===================================================================
--- src/protocol/http/org/apache/jmeter/protocol/http/proxy/gui/ProxyControlGui.java	(revision 1647437)
+++ src/protocol/http/org/apache/jmeter/protocol/http/proxy/gui/ProxyControlGui.java	(working copy)
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@
 import org.apache.jmeter.gui.util.MenuFactory;
 import org.apache.jmeter.gui.util.PowerTableModel;
 import org.apache.jmeter.gui.util.VerticalPanel;
+import org.apache.jmeter.protocol.http.control.RecordingController;
 import org.apache.jmeter.protocol.http.proxy.ProxyControl;
 import org.apache.jmeter.protocol.http.sampler.HTTPSamplerFactory;
 import org.apache.jmeter.testelement.TestElement;
@@ -486,6 +487,17 @@
     private void startProxy() {
         ValueReplacer replacer = GuiPackage.getInstance().getReplacer();
         modifyTestElement(model);
+        TreeNodeWrapper treeNodeWrapper = (TreeNodeWrapper)targetNodesModel.getSelectedItem();
+        if (JMeterUtils.getResString("use_recording_controller").equals(treeNodeWrapper.getLabel())) {
+            JMeterTreeNode targetNode = model.findTargetControllerNode();
+            if(targetNode == null || !(targetNode.getTestElement() instanceof RecordingController)) {
+                JOptionPane.showMessageDialog(this,
+                        JMeterUtils.getResString("proxy_cl_wrong_target_cl"), // $NON-NLS-1$
+                        JMeterUtils.getResString("error_title"), // $NON-NLS-1$
+                        JOptionPane.ERROR_MESSAGE);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
         // Proxy can take some while to start up; show a wating cursor
         Cursor cursor = getCursor();
         setCursor(Cursor.getPredefinedCursor(Cursor.WAIT_CURSOR));