diff --git a/core/java/android/view/ViewRootImpl.java b/core/java/android/view/ViewRootImpl.java
index a324767ac4ede..44b92e18144e3 100644
--- a/core/java/android/view/ViewRootImpl.java
+++ b/core/java/android/view/ViewRootImpl.java
@@ -3372,6 +3372,16 @@ public final class ViewRootImpl implements ViewParent,
             return super.getMessageName(message);
         }
 
+        @Override
+        public boolean sendMessageAtTime(Message msg, long uptimeMillis) {
+            if (msg.what == MSG_REQUEST_KEYBOARD_SHORTCUTS && msg.obj == null) {
+                // Debugging for b/27963013
+                throw new NullPointerException(
+                        "Attempted to call MSG_REQUEST_KEYBOARD_SHORTCUTS with null receiver:");
+            }
+            return super.sendMessageAtTime(msg, uptimeMillis);
+        }
+
         @Override
         public void handleMessage(Message msg) {
             switch (msg.what) {