diff --git a/src/columns/Column.cpp b/src/columns/Column.cpp
index 4c4069fe8..f96e731d2 100644
--- a/src/columns/Column.cpp
+++ b/src/columns/Column.cpp
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ Column* Column::uda (const std::string& name)
 
   std::string key = "uda." + name + ".type";
   c->_type = context.config.get (key);
+  if (c->_type == "")
+    throw format (STRING_UDA_TYPE_MISSING, name);
   if (c->_type != "string"   &&
       c->_type != "date"     &&
       c->_type != "duration" &&
diff --git a/src/en-US.h b/src/en-US.h
index 9e5d2d1c4..0e852177a 100644
--- a/src/en-US.h
+++ b/src/en-US.h
@@ -685,6 +685,7 @@
 #define STRING_ASSUME_INFO           "No command specified - assuming 'information'."
 #define STRING_INFINITE_LOOP         "Terminated substitution because more than {1} changes were made - infinite loop protection."
 #define STRING_UDA_TYPE              "User defined attributes may only be of type 'string', 'date', 'duration' or 'numeric'."
+#define STRING_UDA_TYPE_MISSING      "uda.{1}.type not found. The UDA '{1}' must have a type specified."
 #define STRING_UDA_NUMERIC           "The value '{1}' is not a valid numeric value."
 #define STRING_UDA_COLLISION         "The UDA named '{1}' is the same as a core attribute, and is not permitted."
 #define STRING_INVALID_MOD           "The '{1}' attribute does not allow a value of '{2}'."