diff --git a/lib/grape/exceptions/validation_errors.rb b/lib/grape/exceptions/validation_errors.rb
index 3a39602d5..b9a7ae8f2 100644
--- a/lib/grape/exceptions/validation_errors.rb
+++ b/lib/grape/exceptions/validation_errors.rb
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ class ValidationErrors < Grape::Exceptions::Base
       attr_reader :errors
 
       def initialize(args = {})
+        fail 'Params are missing:' unless args.key? :errors
         @errors = {}
         args[:errors].each do |validation_error|
           @errors[validation_error.params] ||= []
diff --git a/spec/grape/exceptions/validation_errors_spec.rb b/spec/grape/exceptions/validation_errors_spec.rb
index 31b1ef0c3..5575c8c5f 100644
--- a/spec/grape/exceptions/validation_errors_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/grape/exceptions/validation_errors_spec.rb
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@
     it 'should assign headers through base class' do
       expect(subject.headers).to eq(headers)
     end
+
+    it 'fails when params are missing' do
+      expect { described_class.new(headers: headers) }.to raise_error(RuntimeError, 'Params are missing:')
+    end
   end
 
   context 'message' do