diff --git a/lib/mustache.dart b/lib/mustache.dart
index 163f0bc..2475c68 100644
--- a/lib/mustache.dart
+++ b/lib/mustache.dart
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@
 
   factory TemplateRenderer(
       PartialResolver partialResolver,
-      {bool lenient,
+      {bool lenient, // FIXME not sure if this lenient works right with the partial resolver, needs to be set twice?
        bool htmlEscapeValues}) = _TemplateRenderer;
   
   String renderString(String templateName, values);
diff --git a/lib/template.dart b/lib/template.dart
index c41f857..aa8a7a8 100644
--- a/lib/template.dart
+++ b/lib/template.dart
@@ -288,8 +288,16 @@
   _renderPartial(_Node node) {
     var partialName = node.value;
     _Template template = _partialResolver(partialName);
-    var renderer = new _Renderer.partial(this, template);
-    renderer.render();
+    if (template != null) {
+      var renderer = new _Renderer.partial(this, template);
+      renderer.render();      
+    } else if (_lenient) {
+      // do nothing
+    } else {
+      throw new MustacheFormatException(
+          'Partial not found: $partialName',
+          _templateName, node.line, node.column);
+    }
   }
 
   static const Map<String,String> _htmlEscapeMap = const {