diff --git a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/coll/allgather.hpp b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/coll/allgather.hpp
index 4f3eebdb0..6b5b8e5a8 100644
--- a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/coll/allgather.hpp
+++ b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/coll/allgather.hpp
@@ -63,6 +63,8 @@ class Chunk {
      * @param id Unique chunk identifier.
      * @param metadata Serialized metadata for the chunk.
      * @param data Data buffer containing the chunk's payload.
+     *
+     * @throw std::invalid_argument If either @p metadata and @p data are null.
      */
     Chunk(
         ChunkID id,
diff --git a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/communicator.hpp b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/communicator.hpp
index a5b7123d5..94fdc5a4d 100644
--- a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/communicator.hpp
+++ b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/communicator.hpp
@@ -430,6 +430,8 @@ class Communicator {
      * @param rank The destination rank.
      * @param tag Message tag for identification.
      * @return A unique pointer to a `Future` representing the asynchronous operation.
+     *
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p msg is `nullptr`.
      */
     [[nodiscard]] virtual std::unique_ptr<Future> send(
         std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
@@ -443,11 +445,13 @@ class Communicator {
      * @param tag Message tag for identification.
      * @return A unique pointer to a `Future` representing the asynchronous operation.
      *
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p msg is `nullptr` or it is not ready (see
+     * warning for more details).
+     *
      * @warning The caller is responsible to ensure the underlying `Buffer` allocation
      * and data are already valid before calling, for example, when a CUDA allocation
      * and/or copy are done asynchronously. Specifically, the caller should ensure
-     * `Buffer::is_ready()` returns true before calling this function, if not, a
-     * warning is printed and the application will terminate.
+     * `Buffer::is_ready()` returns true before calling this function.
      */
     [[nodiscard]] virtual std::unique_ptr<Future> send(
         std::unique_ptr<Buffer> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
@@ -462,11 +466,13 @@ class Communicator {
      * @param recv_buffer The receive buffer.
      * @return A unique pointer to a `Future` representing the asynchronous operation.
      *
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p recv_buffer is `nullptr` or it is not ready
+     * (see warning for more details).
+     *
      * @warning The caller is responsible to ensure the underlying `Buffer` allocation
      * is already valid before calling, for example, when a CUDA allocation
      * and/or copy are done asynchronously. Specifically, the caller should ensure
-     * `Buffer::is_ready()` returns true before calling this function, if not, a
-     * warning is printed and the application will terminate.
+     * `Buffer::is_ready()` returns true before calling this function.
      */
     [[nodiscard]] virtual std::unique_ptr<Future> recv(
         Rank rank, Tag tag, std::unique_ptr<Buffer> recv_buffer
@@ -481,6 +487,8 @@ class Communicator {
      * @param tag Message tag for identification.
      * @param synced_buffer The receive buffer.
      * @return A unique pointer to a `Future` representing the asynchronous operation.
+     *
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p synced_buffer is `nullptr`.
      */
     [[nodiscard]] virtual std::unique_ptr<Future> recv_sync_host_data(
         Rank rank, Tag tag, std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> synced_buffer
diff --git a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/mpi.hpp b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/mpi.hpp
index 2eeb8e7e1..bcd995a0a 100644
--- a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/mpi.hpp
+++ b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/communicator/mpi.hpp
@@ -139,6 +139,8 @@ class MPI final : public Communicator {
 
     /**
      * @copydoc Communicator::send
+     *
+     * @throws std::runtime_error If the message exceeds MPI size limit (2^31 bytes).
      */
     [[nodiscard]] std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> send(
         std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
@@ -147,6 +149,8 @@ class MPI final : public Communicator {
     // clang-format off
     /**
      * @copydoc Communicator::send(std::unique_ptr<Buffer> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag)
+     *
+     * @throws std::runtime_error If the message exceeds MPI size limit (2^31 bytes).
      */
     // clang-format on
     [[nodiscard]] std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> send(
@@ -155,6 +159,8 @@ class MPI final : public Communicator {
 
     /**
      * @copydoc Communicator::recv
+     *
+     * @throws std::runtime_error If the message exceeds MPI size limit (2^31 bytes).
      */
     [[nodiscard]] std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> recv(
         Rank rank, Tag tag, std::unique_ptr<Buffer> recv_buffer
@@ -163,6 +169,8 @@ class MPI final : public Communicator {
     // clang-format off
     /**
      * @copydoc Communicator::recv_sync_host_data(Rank rank, Tag tag, std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> synced_buffer)
+     *
+     * @throws std::runtime_error If the message exceeds MPI size limit (2^31 bytes).
      */
     // clang-format on
     [[nodiscard]] std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> recv_sync_host_data(
diff --git a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/buffer.hpp b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/buffer.hpp
index 70fd8cb46..b61fcca80 100644
--- a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/buffer.hpp
+++ b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/buffer.hpp
@@ -280,8 +280,8 @@ class Buffer {
      * @param stream CUDA stream to associate with the Buffer for future operations.
      * @param mem_type The memory type of the underlying @p host_buffer.
      *
-     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p host_buffer is null.
-     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p mem_type is not suitable for host buffers.
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p host_buffer is null or @p mem_type is not
+     * suitable for @p host_buffer.
      * @throws std::logic_error If the buffer is locked.
      */
     Buffer(
@@ -305,8 +305,8 @@ class Buffer {
      * @param device_buffer Unique pointer to a device buffer. Must be non-null.
      * @param mem_type The memory type of the underlying @p device_buffer.
      *
-     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p device_buffer is null.
-     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p mem_type is not suitable for device buffers.
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument If @p device_buffer is null or @p mem_type is not
+     * suitable for @p device_buffer.
      * @throws std::logic_error If the buffer is locked.
      */
     Buffer(std::unique_ptr<rmm::device_buffer> device_buffer, MemoryType mem_type);
diff --git a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/host_buffer.hpp b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/host_buffer.hpp
index 3ad35d4a4..27c25d55d 100644
--- a/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/host_buffer.hpp
+++ b/cpp/include/rapidsmpf/memory/host_buffer.hpp
@@ -203,8 +203,8 @@ class HostBuffer {
      *
      * @return A new `HostBuffer` owning the device buffer's memory.
      *
-     * @throws std::invalid_argument if `pinned_host_buffer` is null or if the memory type
-     * of the buffer is not pinned host.
+     * @throws std::invalid_argument if @p pinned_host_buffer is null or if it is not
+     * of pinned host memory type.
      */
     static HostBuffer from_rmm_device_buffer(
         std::unique_ptr<rmm::device_buffer> pinned_host_buffer,
diff --git a/cpp/src/coll/allgather.cpp b/cpp/src/coll/allgather.cpp
index 606a6f7c1..02a61f7e8 100644
--- a/cpp/src/coll/allgather.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/coll/allgather.cpp
@@ -31,7 +31,11 @@ Chunk::Chunk(
       metadata_{std::move(metadata)},
       data_{std::move(data)},
       data_size_{data_ ? data_->size : 0} {
-    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(metadata_ && data_, "Non-finish chunk must have metadata and data");
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
+        metadata_ && data_,
+        "Non-finish chunk must have metadata and data",
+        std::invalid_argument
+    );
 }
 
 Chunk::Chunk(ChunkID id) : id_{id}, metadata_{nullptr}, data_{nullptr}, data_size_{0} {}
diff --git a/cpp/src/communicator/mpi.cpp b/cpp/src/communicator/mpi.cpp
index 6213cf18a..27f1acefa 100644
--- a/cpp/src/communicator/mpi.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/communicator/mpi.cpp
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ MPI::MPI(MPI_Comm comm, config::Options options)
 std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> MPI::send(
     std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
 ) {
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(msg != nullptr, "msg cannot be null", std::invalid_argument);
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
         msg->size() <= std::numeric_limits<int>::max(),
         "send buffer size exceeds MPI max count"
@@ -124,6 +125,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> MPI::send(
 std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> MPI::send(
     std::unique_ptr<Buffer> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
 ) {
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(msg != nullptr, "msg buffer cannot be null", std::invalid_argument);
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(msg->is_latest_write_done(), "msg must be ready");
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
         msg->size <= std::numeric_limits<int>::max(),
diff --git a/cpp/src/communicator/ucxx.cpp b/cpp/src/communicator/ucxx.cpp
index 043f830ac..ba1f136b9 100644
--- a/cpp/src/communicator/ucxx.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/communicator/ucxx.cpp
@@ -1134,6 +1134,7 @@ std::shared_ptr<::ucxx::Endpoint> UCXX::get_endpoint(Rank rank) {
 std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::send(
     std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
 ) {
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(msg != nullptr, "msg cannot be null", std::invalid_argument);
     auto req = get_endpoint(rank)->tagSend(
         msg->data(),
         msg->size(),
@@ -1145,6 +1146,7 @@ std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::send(
 std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::send(
     std::unique_ptr<Buffer> msg, Rank rank, Tag tag
 ) {
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(msg != nullptr, "msg buffer cannot be null", std::invalid_argument);
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(msg->is_latest_write_done(), "msg must be ready");
     auto req = get_endpoint(rank)->tagSend(
         msg->data(), msg->size, tag_with_rank(shared_resources_->rank(), tag)
@@ -1155,7 +1157,9 @@ std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::send(
 std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::recv(
     Rank rank, Tag tag, std::unique_ptr<Buffer> recv_buffer
 ) {
-    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(recv_buffer != nullptr, "recv buffer is nullptr");
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
+        recv_buffer != nullptr, "recv buffer cannot be null", std::invalid_argument
+    );
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(recv_buffer->is_latest_write_done(), "msg must be ready");
     auto req = get_endpoint(rank)->tagRecv(
         recv_buffer->exclusive_data_access(),
@@ -1169,7 +1173,9 @@ std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::recv(
 std::unique_ptr<Communicator::Future> UCXX::recv_sync_host_data(
     Rank rank, Tag tag, std::unique_ptr<std::vector<uint8_t>> synced_buffer
 ) {
-    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(synced_buffer != nullptr, "recv host buffer is nullptr");
+    RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
+        synced_buffer != nullptr, "recv host buffer cannot be null", std::invalid_argument
+    );
     auto req = get_endpoint(rank)->tagRecv(
         synced_buffer->data(),
         synced_buffer->size(),
diff --git a/cpp/src/memory/buffer.cpp b/cpp/src/memory/buffer.cpp
index 385685903..c8425ccde 100644
--- a/cpp/src/memory/buffer.cpp
+++ b/cpp/src/memory/buffer.cpp
@@ -28,7 +28,9 @@ Buffer::Buffer(
       storage_{std::move(host_buffer)},
       stream_{stream} {
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
-        std::get<HostBufferT>(storage_) != nullptr, "the host_buffer cannot be NULL"
+        std::get<HostBufferT>(storage_) != nullptr,
+        "the host_buffer cannot be NULL",
+        std::invalid_argument
     );
     RAPIDSMPF_EXPECTS(
         contains(host_buffer_types, mem_type_),