diff --git a/code/datums/browser.dm b/code/datums/browser.dm
index 17b1060e7bce9..686757077c2a6 100644
--- a/code/datums/browser.dm
+++ b/code/datums/browser.dm
@@ -92,6 +92,10 @@
 	"}
 
 /datum/browser/proc/open(use_onclose = 1)
+	if(isnull(window_id))	//null check because this can potentially nuke goonchat
+		WARNING("Browser [title] tried to open with a null ID")
+		to_chat(user, "<span class='userdanger'>The [title] browser you tried to open failed a sanity check! Please report this on github!</span>"
+		return
 	var/window_size = ""
 	if (width && height)
 		window_size = "size=[width]x[height];"