diff --git a/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModel.ts b/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModel.ts
index 4d417b9f3..6a22a5fe9 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModel.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModel.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,9 @@ export default class UserItemModel extends BaseModel<UserItem> {
 
 	public async add(userId: Uuid, itemId: Uuid, options: SaveOptions = {}): Promise<void> {
 		const item = await this.models().item().load(itemId, { fields: ['id', 'name'] });
+		if (!item) {
+			throw new ErrorNotFound(`No such item: ${itemId}`);
+		}
 		await this.addMulti(userId, [item], options);
 	}
 
diff --git a/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModels.test.ts b/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModels.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ab30a13fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/server/src/models/UserItemModels.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { beforeAllDb, afterAllTests, beforeEachDb, models } from '../utils/testing/testUtils';
+
+describe('UserItemModel', () => {
+
+	beforeAll(async () => {
+		await beforeAllDb('UserItemModel');
+	});
+
+	afterAll(async () => {
+		await afterAllTests();
+	});
+
+	beforeEach(async () => {
+		await beforeEachDb();
+	});
+
+	test('should throw error if item does not exist', async () => {
+		const mockUserId = 'not-a-real-user-id';
+		const mockId = 'not-a-real-item-id';
+		expect(async () => models().userItem().add(mockUserId, mockId)).rejects.toThrow('No such item: not-a-real-item-id');
+	});
+});
+