diff --git a/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/ComponentFactory.java b/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/ComponentFactory.java
index 2a28084..f68e1a9 100644
--- a/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/ComponentFactory.java
+++ b/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/ComponentFactory.java
@@ -67,12 +67,14 @@
     /**
      * Component Implementation Class Name.
      * Immutable once set.
+     * This attribute is set during the construction of the factory.
      */
     private String m_classname;
 
     /**
      * Manipulation Metadata of the internal POJO.
      * Immutable once set.
+     * This attribute is set during the construction of the factory.
      */
     private PojoMetadata m_manipulation;
 
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@
     public void check(Element element) throws ConfigurationException {
         m_classname = element.getAttribute("classname");
         if (m_classname == null) { throw new ConfigurationException("A component needs a class name : " + element); }
+        m_manipulation = new PojoMetadata(m_componentMetadata);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -339,15 +342,9 @@
 
     /**
      * Returns manipulation metadata of this component type.
-     * The returned object is computed at the first call and then is cached.
      * @return manipulation metadata of this component type.
      */
     public PojoMetadata getPojoMetadata() {
-        synchronized (this) {
-            if (m_manipulation == null) {
-                m_manipulation = new PojoMetadata(m_componentMetadata);
-            }
-        }
         return m_manipulation;
     }
 
diff --git a/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/parser/PojoMetadata.java b/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/parser/PojoMetadata.java
index ee8c6fc..a45d066 100644
--- a/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/parser/PojoMetadata.java
+++ b/ipojo/core/src/main/java/org/apache/felix/ipojo/parser/PojoMetadata.java
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
  */
 package org.apache.felix.ipojo.parser;
 
+import org.apache.felix.ipojo.ConfigurationException;
 import org.apache.felix.ipojo.metadata.Element;
 
 /**
@@ -54,9 +55,14 @@
      * Manipulation Metadata object are created from component type metadata by
      * parsing manipulation metadata.
      * @param metadata : component type metadata
+     * @throws ConfigurationException : the manipulation metadata cannot be found
      */
-    public PojoMetadata(Element metadata) {
-        Element manip = metadata.getElements("manipulation", "")[0];
+    public PojoMetadata(Element metadata) throws ConfigurationException {
+        Element[] elems = metadata.getElements("manipulation", "");
+        if (elems == null) {
+            throw new ConfigurationException("The component " + metadata/*.getAttribute("classname")*/ + " has no manipulation metadata"); 
+        }
+        Element manip = elems[0];
         m_super = manip.getAttribute("super");
         Element[] fields = manip.getElements("field");
         for (int i = 0; fields != null && i < fields.length; i++) {