diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.dbf b/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.dbf
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..aa2109047a4
Binary files /dev/null and b/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.dbf differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.shp b/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.shp
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bdcfb83be42
Binary files /dev/null and b/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.shp differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.shx b/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.shx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..dea663eb087
Binary files /dev/null and b/django/contrib/gis/tests/data/invalid/emptypoints.shx differ
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/models.py b/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/models.py
index 3a34d16f3fe..51213eb0b81 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/models.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/models.py
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@ class ICity1(CityBase):
 class ICity2(ICity1):
     dt_time = models.DateTimeField(auto_now=True)
 
+class Invalid(models.Model):
+    point = models.PointField()
+
 # Mapping dictionaries for the models above.
 co_mapping = {'name' : 'Name',
               'state' : {'name' : 'State'}, # ForeignKey's use another mapping dictionary for the _related_ Model (State in this case).
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/tests.py b/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/tests.py
index a11752a2820..ad7a50462c2 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/tests.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/tests/layermap/tests.py
@@ -4,16 +4,19 @@ from decimal import Decimal
 from django.utils.copycompat import copy
 from django.utils.unittest import TestCase
 
-from django.contrib.gis.gdal import DataSource
+from django.contrib.gis.gdal import DataSource, OGRException
 from django.contrib.gis.tests.utils import mysql
 from django.contrib.gis.utils.layermapping import LayerMapping, LayerMapError, InvalidDecimal, MissingForeignKey
 
-from models import City, County, CountyFeat, Interstate, ICity1, ICity2, State, city_mapping, co_mapping, cofeat_mapping, inter_mapping
+from models import \
+    City, County, CountyFeat, Interstate, ICity1, ICity2, Invalid, State, \
+    city_mapping, co_mapping, cofeat_mapping, inter_mapping
 
 shp_path = os.path.realpath(os.path.join(os.path.dirname(__file__), os.pardir, 'data'))
 city_shp = os.path.join(shp_path, 'cities', 'cities.shp')
 co_shp = os.path.join(shp_path, 'counties', 'counties.shp')
 inter_shp = os.path.join(shp_path, 'interstates', 'interstates.shp')
+invalid_shp = os.path.join(shp_path, 'invalid', 'emptypoints.shp')
 
 # Dictionaries to hold what's expected in the county shapefile.
 NAMES  = ['Bexar', 'Galveston', 'Harris', 'Honolulu', 'Pueblo']
@@ -265,3 +268,10 @@ class LayerMapTest(TestCase):
 
         self.assertEqual(6, ICity1.objects.count())
         self.assertEqual(3, ICity2.objects.count())
+
+    def test07_invalid_layer(self):
+        "Tests LayerMapping on invalid geometries.  See #15378."
+        invalid_mapping = {'point': 'POINT'}
+        lm = LayerMapping(Invalid, invalid_shp, invalid_mapping,
+                          source_srs=4326)
+        lm.save(silent=True)
diff --git a/django/contrib/gis/utils/layermapping.py b/django/contrib/gis/utils/layermapping.py
index dac53f819bf..0f3a72213dc 100644
--- a/django/contrib/gis/utils/layermapping.py
+++ b/django/contrib/gis/utils/layermapping.py
@@ -294,7 +294,10 @@ class LayerMapping(object):
 
             if isinstance(model_field, GeometryField):
                 # Verify OGR geometry.
-                val = self.verify_geom(feat.geom, model_field)
+                try:
+                    val = self.verify_geom(feat.geom, model_field)
+                except OGRException:
+                    raise LayerMapError('Could not retrieve geometry from feature.')
             elif isinstance(model_field, models.base.ModelBase):
                 # The related _model_, not a field was passed in -- indicating
                 # another mapping for the related Model.