diff --git a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/context/index.js b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/context/index.js
index fda3852ff..56b0c7e6f 100644
--- a/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/context/index.js
+++ b/packages/node_modules/@node-red/runtime/lib/nodes/context/index.js
@@ -256,6 +256,9 @@ function createContext(id,seed,parent) {
             value: function(key, storage, callback) {
                 var context;
 
+                if (typeof key !== "string" || !key.length) {
+                    throw new Error("context get() requires 'key' to be a valid string");
+                }
                 if (!callback && typeof storage === 'function') {
                     callback = storage;
                     storage = undefined;
@@ -338,6 +341,9 @@ function createContext(id,seed,parent) {
             value: function(key, value, storage, callback) {
                 var context;
 
+                if (typeof key !== "string" || !key.length) {
+                    throw new Error("context set() requires 'key' to be a valid string");
+                }
                 if (!callback && typeof storage === 'function') {
                     callback = storage;
                     storage = undefined;