diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/player.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/player.cpp
index 144d98c678..e517bdf77d 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/player.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/types/player.cpp
@@ -187,6 +187,9 @@ namespace MWLua
             return cls.getNpcStats(o.ptr()).getBounty();
         };
         player["setCrimeLevel"] = [](const Object& o, int amount) {
+            verifyPlayer(o);
+            if (!dynamic_cast<const GObject*>(&o))
+                throw std::runtime_error("Only global scripts can change crime level");
             const MWWorld::Class& cls = o.ptr().getClass();
             cls.getNpcStats(o.ptr()).setBounty(amount);
         };