diff -r b8945c261cda core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/Bundle.properties
--- a/core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/Bundle.properties	Mon Aug 25 13:48:21 2008 +0200
+++ b/core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/Bundle.properties	Mon Aug 25 16:47:31 2008 +0200
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@
 ERR_UINotFound=UI class not found, using default UI...
 ERR_FontSizeExpected=Font size expected, using default font size...
 ERR_BadFontSize=Bad format of the font size, using default font size...
-ERR_BrandingNeedsArgument=Option --branding requires one argument
+ERR_OptionNeedsArgument=Option {0} requires one argument
 
 
 # TopManager properties
diff -r b8945c261cda core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/CLIOptions.java
--- a/core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/CLIOptions.java	Mon Aug 25 13:48:21 2008 +0200
+++ b/core.startup/src/org/netbeans/core/startup/CLIOptions.java	Mon Aug 25 16:47:31 2008 +0200
@@ -169,28 +169,33 @@
                 }
             } else if (isOption (args[i], "locale")) { // NOI18N
                 args[i] = null;
-                String localeParam = args[++i];
-                String language;
-                String country = ""; // NOI18N
-                String variant = ""; // NOI18N
-                int index1 = localeParam.indexOf(":"); // NOI18N
-                if (index1 == -1)
-                    language = localeParam;
-                else {
-                    language = localeParam.substring(0, index1);
-                    int index2 = localeParam.indexOf(":", index1+1); // NOI18N
-                    if (index2 != -1) {
-                        country = localeParam.substring(index1+1, index2);
-                        variant = localeParam.substring(index2+1);
+                try {
+                    String localeParam = args[++i];
+                    String language;
+                    String country = ""; // NOI18N
+                    String variant = ""; // NOI18N
+                    int index1 = localeParam.indexOf(":"); // NOI18N
+                    if (index1 == -1)
+                        language = localeParam;
+                    else {
+                        language = localeParam.substring(0, index1);
+                        int index2 = localeParam.indexOf(":", index1+1); // NOI18N
+                        if (index2 != -1) {
+                            country = localeParam.substring(index1+1, index2);
+                            variant = localeParam.substring(index2+1);
+                        }
+                        else
+                            country = localeParam.substring(index1+1);
                     }
-                    else
-                        country = localeParam.substring(index1+1);
+                    Locale.setDefault(new Locale(language, country, variant));
+                } catch(ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
+                    System.err.println(NbBundle.getMessage(CLIOptions.class, "ERR_OptionNeedsArgument", "--locale"));//NOI18N
+                    return 2;
                 }
-                Locale.setDefault(new Locale(language, country, variant));
             } else if (isOption (args[i], "branding")) { // NOI18N
                 args[i] = null;
                 if (++i == args.length) {
-                    System.err.println(getString("ERR_BrandingNeedsArgument"));
+                    System.err.println(NbBundle.getMessage(CLIOptions.class, "ERR_OptionNeedsArgument", "--branding"));//NOI18N
                     return 2;
                 }
                 String branding = args[i];