diff --git a/include/podio/Frame.h b/include/podio/Frame.h
index d7b712703..a4d0ad37b 100644
--- a/include/podio/Frame.h
+++ b/include/podio/Frame.h
@@ -391,11 +391,13 @@ const CollT& Frame::put(CollT&& coll, const std::string& name) {
 
 template <typename FrameDataT>
 Frame::FrameModel<FrameDataT>::FrameModel(std::unique_ptr<FrameDataT> data) :
-    m_mapMtx(std::make_unique<std::mutex>()),
-    m_data(std::move(data)),
-    m_dataMtx(std::make_unique<std::mutex>()),
-    m_idTable(std::move(m_data->getIDTable())),
-    m_parameters(std::move(m_data->getParameters())) {
+    m_mapMtx(std::make_unique<std::mutex>()), m_dataMtx(std::make_unique<std::mutex>()) {
+  if (!data) {
+    throw std::invalid_argument("Building a Frame failed; if you are reading from a file it may be corrupted");
+  }
+  m_data = std::move(data);
+  m_idTable = std::move(m_data->getIDTable());
+  m_parameters = std::move(m_data->getParameters());
 }
 
 template <typename FrameDataT>