\def\@descname@i[#1]#2{%
\expandafter\let\expandafter\@tempa\csname cat!#2\endcsname%
\expandafter\let\expandafter\@tempb\csname modcat/#1\endcsname%
- \ifx\@tempa\relax\@tempb{#2}\else\@tempa\@tempb\fi}
+ \ifx\@tempa\relax\PackageError{sod}{unknown description category `#2'}%
+ {I don't know what `#2' means as a thing you might try to\MessageBreak
+ document. Maybe you mistyped it, or forgot to say\MessageBreak
+ `\protect\definedescribecategory' for it. For now I'm going\MessageBreak
+ just use the literal string `#2' and hope that doesn't look\MessageBreak
+ too terrible.}%
+ \@tempb{#2}%
+ \else\@tempa\@tempb\fi}
%% Call a modifier method.
\def\@mod@dispatch#1#2{\csname #1/#2\endcsname}