diff --git a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/Main.kt b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/Main.kt
index 1d66216ac1..f5a8fe15dc 100644
--- a/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/Main.kt
+++ b/node/src/main/kotlin/net/corda/node/Main.kt
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ fun printBasicNodeInfo(description: String, info: String? = null) {
 }
 
 fun main(args: Array<String>) {
+    checkJavaVersion()
+
     val startTime = System.currentTimeMillis()
 
     val parser = OptionParser()
@@ -115,9 +117,24 @@ fun main(args: Array<String>) {
     exitProcess(0)
 }
 
+private fun checkJavaVersion() {
+    // Check we're not running a version of Java with a known bug: https://github.com/corda/corda/issues/83
+    try {
+        Paths.get("").normalize()
+    } catch (e: ArrayIndexOutOfBoundsException) {
+        println("""
+        You are using a version of Java that is not supported (${System.getProperty("java.version")}). Please upgrade to the latest version.
+        Corda will now exit...""")
+        exitProcess(1)
+    }
+}
+
 private fun printPluginsAndServices(node: Node) {
     node.configuration.extraAdvertisedServiceIds.let { if (it.isNotEmpty()) printBasicNodeInfo("Providing network services", it) }
-    val plugins = node.pluginRegistries.map { it.javaClass.name }.filterNot { it.startsWith("net.corda.node.") || it.startsWith("net.corda.core.") }.map { it.substringBefore('$') }
+    val plugins = node.pluginRegistries
+            .map { it.javaClass.name }
+            .filterNot { it.startsWith("net.corda.node.") || it.startsWith("net.corda.core.") }
+            .map { it.substringBefore('$') }
     if (plugins.isNotEmpty())
         printBasicNodeInfo("Loaded plugins", plugins.joinToString())
 }