diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/animationbindings.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/animationbindings.cpp
index 07e2c4f133..cce00d49d3 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/animationbindings.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/animationbindings.cpp
@@ -303,8 +303,9 @@ namespace MWLua
         api["remove"] = [context](std::string vfxId) {
             context.mLuaManager->addAction(
                 [vfxId = vfxId] {
-                    if (!vfxId.empty())
-                        MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->removeEffect(vfxId);
+                    if (vfxId.empty())
+                        throw std::runtime_error("vfxId is empty");
+                    MWBase::Environment::get().getWorld()->removeEffect(vfxId);
                 },
                 "openmw.vfx.remove");
         };