diff --git a/csharp/src/Google.Protobuf/ProtoPreconditions.cs b/csharp/src/Google.Protobuf/ProtoPreconditions.cs
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+﻿#region Copyright notice and license
+// Protocol Buffers - Google's data interchange format
+// Copyright 2008 Google Inc.  All rights reserved.
+// https://developers.google.com/protocol-buffers/
+//
+// Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without
+// modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are
+// met:
+//
+//     * Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright
+// notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
+//     * Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above
+// copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer
+// in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the
+// distribution.
+//     * Neither the name of Google Inc. nor the names of its
+// contributors may be used to endorse or promote products derived from
+// this software without specific prior written permission.
+//
+// THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS
+// "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+// LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR
+// A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT
+// OWNER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL,
+// SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT
+// LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE,
+// DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY
+// THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT
+// (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE
+// OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.
+#endregion
+
+using System;
+
+namespace Google.Protobuf
+{
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Helper methods for throwing exceptions when preconditions are not met.
+    /// </summary>
+    /// <remarks>
+    /// This class is used internally and by generated code; it is not particularly
+    /// expected to be used from application code, although nothing prevents it
+    /// from being used that way.
+    /// </remarks>
+    public static class ProtoPreconditions
+    {
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Throws an ArgumentNullException if the given value is null, otherwise
+        /// return the value to the caller.
+        /// </summary>
+        public static T CheckNotNull<T>(T value, string name) where T : class
+        {
+            if (value == null)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentNullException(name);
+            }
+            return value;
+        }
+
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Throws an ArgumentNullException if the given value is null, otherwise
+        /// return the value to the caller.
+        /// </summary>
+        /// <remarks>
+        /// This is equivalent to <see cref="CheckNotNull{T}(T, string)"/> but without the type parameter
+        /// constraint. In most cases, the constraint is useful to prevent you from calling CheckNotNull
+        /// with a value type - but it gets in the way if either you want to use it with a nullable
+        /// value type, or you want to use it with an unconstrained type parameter.
+        /// </remarks>
+        internal static T CheckNotNullUnconstrained<T>(T value, string name)
+        {
+            if (value == null)
+            {
+                throw new ArgumentNullException(name);
+            }
+            return value;
+        }
+    }
+}
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