diff --git a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/Validate.java b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/Validate.java
index c5041a15e..6d98c42df 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/Validate.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/apache/commons/lang3/Validate.java
@@ -765,7 +765,7 @@ public static <T extends CharSequence> T validIndex(T chars, int index) {
      */
     public static void validState(boolean expression) {
         if (expression == false) {
-            throw new IllegalArgumentException(DEFAULT_VALID_STATE_EX_MESSAGE);
+            throw new IllegalStateException(DEFAULT_VALID_STATE_EX_MESSAGE);
         }
     }