diff --git a/apps/openmw/mwlua/objectbindings.cpp b/apps/openmw/mwlua/objectbindings.cpp
index 386e0b913b..ec33a3dc4e 100644
--- a/apps/openmw/mwlua/objectbindings.cpp
+++ b/apps/openmw/mwlua/objectbindings.cpp
@@ -502,6 +502,10 @@ namespace MWLua
                 };
                 objectT["setTransform"] = [context](const GObject& object, const osg::Vec3f& newPos,
                                               const sol::object& newRotObj, sol::optional<bool> terrainClampOpt) {
+                    if (newRotObj == sol::nil)
+                    {
+                        throw std::runtime_error("setTransform requires a non-nil rotation argument");
+                    }
                     bool terrainClamp = terrainClampOpt.value_or(true);
                     MWWorld::Ptr ptr = object.ptr();
                     if (ptr.getCellRef().getCount() == 0 || !ptr.isInCell())
@@ -562,6 +566,10 @@ namespace MWLua
                               "SetPositionAction");
                       };
                 objectT["setRotation"] = [context](const GObject& object, const sol::object& newRotObj) {
+                    if (newRotObj == sol::nil)
+                    {
+                        throw std::runtime_error("setTransform requires a non-nil rotation argument");
+                    }
                     MWWorld::Ptr ptr = object.ptr();
                     if (ptr.getCellRef().getCount() == 0 || !ptr.isInCell())
                         throw std::runtime_error("Object is either removed or in the process of teleporting");