diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/widgets.py b/django/contrib/admin/widgets.py
index 0954d3f3e2..d7befe4688 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/widgets.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/widgets.py
@@ -152,7 +152,10 @@ class ForeignKeyRawIdWidget(forms.TextInput):
 
     def label_for_value(self, value):
         key = self.rel.get_related_field().name
-        obj = self.rel.to._default_manager.using(self.db).get(**{key: value})
+        try:
+            obj = self.rel.to._default_manager.using(self.db).get(**{key: value})
+        except self.rel.to.DoesNotExist:
+            return ''
         return '&nbsp;<strong>%s</strong>' % escape(truncate_words(obj, 14))
 
 class ManyToManyRawIdWidget(ForeignKeyRawIdWidget):
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/tests.py
index 4113e82c1f..fd0c25ca1a 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/tests.py
@@ -127,3 +127,27 @@ class AdminForeignKeyWidgetChangeList(DjangoTestCase):
     def test_changelist_foreignkey(self):
         response = self.client.get('%s/admin_widgets/car/' % self.admin_root)
         self.failUnless('%s/auth/user/add/' % self.admin_root in response.content)
+
+class AdminForeignKeyRawIdWidget(DjangoTestCase):
+    fixtures = ["admin-widgets-users.xml"]
+    admin_root = '/widget_admin'
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.client.login(username="super", password="secret")
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        self.client.logout()
+
+    def test_nonexistent_target_id(self):
+        band = models.Band.objects.create(name='Bogey Blues')
+        pk = band.pk
+        band.delete()
+        post_data = {
+            "band": u'%s' % pk,
+        }
+        # Try posting with a non-existent pk in a raw id field: this
+        # should result in an error message, not a server exception.
+        response = self.client.post('%s/admin_widgets/event/add/' % self.admin_root,
+            post_data)
+        self.assertContains(response,
+            'Select a valid choice. That choice is not one of the available choices.')
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/widgetadmin.py b/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/widgetadmin.py
index 9257c306c9..6f15d9208b 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/widgetadmin.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/admin_widgets/widgetadmin.py
@@ -19,8 +19,12 @@ class CarTireAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
             return db_field.formfield(**kwargs)
         return super(CarTireAdmin, self).formfield_for_foreignkey(db_field, request, **kwargs)
 
+class EventAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
+    raw_id_fields = ['band']
+
 site = WidgetAdmin(name='widget-admin')
 
 site.register(models.User)
 site.register(models.Car, CarAdmin)
 site.register(models.CarTire, CarTireAdmin)
+site.register(models.Event, EventAdmin)