ls1intum · HannesHarbeck · Jul 31, 2026 · Jul 31, 2026 · Aug 1, 2026 · Aug 1, 2026
@@ -254,6 +254,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<ExamDTO> createExam(@PathVariable Long courseId, @RequestB
         if (examDTO.id() != null) {
             throw new BadRequestAlertException("A new exam cannot already have an ID", ENTITY_NAME, "idExists");
         }
+        checkExamTitleIsPresentElseThrow(examDTO.title());
 
         examAccessService.checkCourseAccessForInstructorElseThrow(courseId);
 
@@ -287,6 +288,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<ExamDTO> updateExam(@PathVariable Long courseId, @RequestB
         if (examUpdateDTO.id() == null) {
             throw new BadRequestAlertException("An exam update must have an ID", ENTITY_NAME, "idMissing");
         }
+        checkExamTitleIsPresentElseThrow(examUpdateDTO.title());
 
         examAccessService.checkCourseAndExamAccessForInstructorElseThrow(courseId, examUpdateDTO.id());
 
@@ -465,6 +467,7 @@ public ResponseEntity<ExamWideAnnouncementEventDTO> createExamAnnouncement(@Path
     public ResponseEntity<ExamImportResultDTO> importExamWithExercises(@PathVariable Long courseId, @RequestBody ExamImportDTO examImportDTO,
             @RequestParam(required = false) String importId) throws URISyntaxException, IOException {
         log.debug("REST request to import an exam : {}", examImportDTO);
+        checkExamTitleIsPresentElseThrow(examImportDTO.title());
 
         examAccessService.checkCourseAccessForInstructorElseThrow(courseId);
 
@@ -548,6 +551,18 @@ private void checkExamTitleLengthElseThrow(Exam exam) {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Checks that the exam title is present, so an exam is never created or updated with a missing or blank title. The client marks this too, but crafted requests and import
+     * payloads bypass the UI. This validates the raw request title before it is mapped to an entity, because {@link Exam#setTitle} would throw on a null title during mapping.
+     *
+     * @param title the exam title from the request
+     */
+    private void checkExamTitleIsPresentElseThrow(String title) {
+        if (title == null || title.isBlank()) {
+            throw new BadRequestAlertException("The exam title must not be empty.", ENTITY_NAME, "examTitleEmpty");
+        }
+    }
+
     /**
      * Validates numeric field limits for exam configuration.
      * Maximum values:

@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ <h5 class="pb-1" jhiTranslate="artemisApp.examManagement.sections.configuration"
                     [hideChannelName]="hideChannelNameInput()"
                     [initChannelName]="isImport() || exam.id === undefined"
                 />
+                @if (!exam.title?.trim()) {
+                    <div class="text-state-danger text-sm mt-1 block" data-testid="title-validation-message" jhiTranslate="artemisApp.examManagement.titleMissingOrNotValid"></div>
+                }
             </div>
             <div class="form-group">
                 <div>

@@ -146,6 +146,18 @@ describe('ExamUpdateComponent', () => {
             expect(component.exam.workingTime).toBe(0);
         });
 
+        it('should show the title validation message when the title is missing and hide it once a title is set', () => {
+            fixture.detectChanges();
+            const titleValidationSelector = By.css('[data-testid="title-validation-message"]');
+            expect(fixture.debugElement.query(titleValidationSelector)).not.toBeNull();
+
+            const examWithTitle = cloneDeep(component.exam);
+            examWithTitle.title = 'A valid exam title';
+            component.exam = examWithTitle;
+            fixture.detectChanges();
+            expect(fixture.debugElement.query(titleValidationSelector)).toBeNull();
+        });
+
         it('should validate the dates correctly', () => {
             examWithoutExercises.visibleDate = dayjs().add(1, 'hours');
             examWithoutExercises.startDate = dayjs().add(2, 'hours');

@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@
         "examManagement": {
             "reviewDatesInvalidWarning": "Das Ende der Klausureinsicht ist falsch definiert oder fehlt",
             "reviewDatesInvalidExplanation": "Ist ein Beginn der Klausureinsicht definiert, muss auch ein Ende definiert werden. Zusätzlich muss das Ende der Klausureinsicht immer nach dem Beginn datiert sein.",
+            "titleMissingOrNotValid": "'Titel' fehlt/ungültig",
             "sections": {
                 "configuration": "Klausurkonfiguration",
                 "conduction": "Klausurdurchführung",

@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@
         "examManagement": {
             "reviewDatesInvalidWarning": "End of Student Review is set incorrect or missing",
             "reviewDatesInvalidExplanation": "If the Begin of Student Review is set, the End of Student Review has to be set as well. Furthermore, the End of Student Review has to be chronologically after its Begin.",
+            "titleMissingOrNotValid": "'Title' is missing/invalid",
             "sections": {
                 "configuration": "Exam Configuration",
                 "conduction": "Exam Conduction",

@@ -678,6 +678,26 @@ void testCreateExam_failsWithExamMaxPointsTooHigh() throws Exception {
         request.post("/api/exam/courses/" + course1.getId() + "/exams", ExamUpdateDTO.of(exam), HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
     }
 
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser(username = TEST_PREFIX + "instructor1", roles = "INSTRUCTOR")
+    void testCreateExam_failsWithBlankTitle() throws Exception {
+        Exam exam = ExamFactory.generateExam(course1, "examBlankTitleTest");
+        exam.setTitle("   "); // stripped to an empty title
+
+        request.post("/api/exam/courses/" + course1.getId() + "/exams", ExamUpdateDTO.of(exam), HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    @WithMockUser(username = TEST_PREFIX + "instructor1", roles = "INSTRUCTOR")
+    void testCreateExam_failsWithMissingTitle() throws Exception {
+        Exam exam = ExamFactory.generateExam(course1, "examMissingTitleTest");
+        // A crafted request without a title has to be rejected cleanly, not fail while mapping the null title to the entity
+        ObjectNode examJson = request.getObjectMapper().valueToTree(ExamUpdateDTO.of(exam));
+        examJson.putNull("title");
+
+        request.post("/api/exam/courses/" + course1.getId() + "/exams", examJson, HttpStatus.BAD_REQUEST);
+    }
+
     @Test
     @WithMockUser(username = TEST_PREFIX + "instructor1", roles = "INSTRUCTOR")
     void testCreateExam_failsWithGracePeriodTooHigh() throws Exception {