diff --git a/fluent.runtime/fluent/runtime/resolver.py b/fluent.runtime/fluent/runtime/resolver.py
index 1b41e450..bf95aa08 100644
--- a/fluent.runtime/fluent/runtime/resolver.py
+++ b/fluent.runtime/fluent/runtime/resolver.py
@@ -315,11 +315,17 @@ class VariantExpression(FTL.VariantExpression, BaseResolver):
     def __call__(self, env):
         message = lookup_reference(self.ref, env)
 
-        # TODO What to do if message is not a VariantList?
-        # Need test at least.
-        assert isinstance(message, VariantList)
+        if isinstance(message, FluentNoneResolver):
+            # We have already reported the reference error in lookup_reference
+            return message(env)
 
         variant_name = self.key.name
+        if not isinstance(message, VariantList):
+            # Term without variants, return term contents but also report error
+            env.errors.append(FluentReferenceError("Unknown variant: {0}"
+                                                   .format(variant_name)))
+            return message(env)
+
         return message(env, variant_name)
 
 
diff --git a/fluent.runtime/tests/format/test_variants.py b/fluent.runtime/tests/format/test_variants.py
index 01fdb6cd..5c15e656 100644
--- a/fluent.runtime/tests/format/test_variants.py
+++ b/fluent.runtime/tests/format/test_variants.py
@@ -17,10 +17,13 @@ def setUp(self):
                 [a] A
                *[b] B
              }
+            -non-variant = Term with no variants
             foo = { -variant }
             bar = { -variant[a] }
             baz = { -variant[b] }
             qux = { -variant[c] }
+            goo = { -missing[a] }
+            quux = { -non-variant[a] }
         """))
 
     def test_returns_the_default_variant(self):
@@ -45,3 +48,18 @@ def test_choose_missing_variant(self):
         self.assertEqual(
             errs,
             [FluentReferenceError("Unknown variant: c")])
+
+    def test_choose_missing_term(self):
+        val, errs = self.ctx.format('goo', {})
+        self.assertEqual(val, '-missing')
+        self.assertEqual(len(errs), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            errs,
+            [FluentReferenceError("Unknown term: -missing")])
+
+    def test_variant_with_non_variant_term(self):
+        val, errs = self.ctx.format('quux', {})
+        self.assertEqual(val, 'Term with no variants')
+        self.assertEqual(
+            errs,
+            [FluentReferenceError("Unknown variant: a")])