diff --git a/runtime/doc/change.txt b/runtime/doc/change.txt
index fe518d1..6e53111 100644
--- a/runtime/doc/change.txt
+++ b/runtime/doc/change.txt
@@ -917,8 +917,10 @@
 {Visual}["x]Y		Yank the highlighted lines [into register x] (for
 			{Visual} see |Visual-mode|).  {not in Vi}
 
-							*:y* *:yank*
-:[range]y[ank] [x]	Yank [range] lines [into register x].
+							*:y* *:yank* *E850*
+:[range]y[ank] [x]	Yank [range] lines [into register x]. Yanking to the
+			"* or "+ registers is possible only in GUI versions or
+			when the |+xterm_clipboard| feature is included.
 
 :[range]y[ank] [x] {count}
 			Yank {count} lines, starting with last line number
diff --git a/src/ex_docmd.c b/src/ex_docmd.c
index b67c00b..d90e964 100644
--- a/src/ex_docmd.c
+++ b/src/ex_docmd.c
@@ -2424,25 +2424,39 @@
     if (       (ea.argt & REGSTR)
 	    && *ea.arg != NUL
 #ifdef FEAT_USR_CMDS
-	    && valid_yank_reg(*ea.arg, (ea.cmdidx != CMD_put
-						   && USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx)))
 	    /* Do not allow register = for user commands */
 	    && (!USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx) || *ea.arg != '=')
-#else
-	    && valid_yank_reg(*ea.arg, ea.cmdidx != CMD_put)
 #endif
 	    && !((ea.argt & COUNT) && VIM_ISDIGIT(*ea.arg)))
     {
-	ea.regname = *ea.arg++;
-#ifdef FEAT_EVAL
-	/* for '=' register: accept the rest of the line as an expression */
-	if (ea.arg[-1] == '=' && ea.arg[0] != NUL)
+#ifndef FEAT_CLIPBOARD
+	/* check these explicitly for a more specific error message */
+	if (*ea.arg == '*' || *ea.arg == '+')
 	{
-	    set_expr_line(vim_strsave(ea.arg));
-	    ea.arg += STRLEN(ea.arg);
+	    errormsg = (char_u *)_(e_invalidreg);
+	    goto doend;
 	}
 #endif
-	ea.arg = skipwhite(ea.arg);
+	if (
+#ifdef FEAT_USR_CMDS
+	    valid_yank_reg(*ea.arg, (ea.cmdidx != CMD_put
+						   && USER_CMDIDX(ea.cmdidx)))
+#else
+	    valid_yank_reg(*ea.arg, ea.cmdidx != CMD_put)
+#endif
+	   )
+	{
+	    ea.regname = *ea.arg++;
+#ifdef FEAT_EVAL
+	    /* for '=' register: accept the rest of the line as an expression */
+	    if (ea.arg[-1] == '=' && ea.arg[0] != NUL)
+	    {
+		set_expr_line(vim_strsave(ea.arg));
+		ea.arg += STRLEN(ea.arg);
+	    }
+#endif
+	    ea.arg = skipwhite(ea.arg);
+	}
     }
 
     /*
diff --git a/src/globals.h b/src/globals.h
index 3685fc7..4b55446 100644
--- a/src/globals.h
+++ b/src/globals.h
@@ -1561,6 +1561,9 @@
 	(defined(FEAT_INS_EXPAND) && defined(FEAT_COMPL_FUNC))
 EXTERN char_u e_notset[]	INIT(= N_("E764: Option '%s' is not set"));
 #endif
+#ifndef FEAT_CLIPBOARD
+EXTERN char_u e_invalidreg[]    INIT(= N_("E850: Invalid register name"));
+#endif
 
 #ifdef MACOS_X_UNIX
 EXTERN short disallow_gui	INIT(= FALSE);
diff --git a/src/version.c b/src/version.c
index 51e2cf9..b99456a 100644
--- a/src/version.c
+++ b/src/version.c
@@ -715,6 +715,8 @@
 static int included_patches[] =
 {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
 /**/
+    171,
+/**/
     170,
 /**/
     169,