diff --git a/packages/core/src/validation/assertions.ts b/packages/core/src/validation/assertions.ts
index 857ebc250..8717f4800 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/validation/assertions.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/validation/assertions.ts
@@ -23,9 +23,12 @@ export function assertUserIdentity(event: CoreSegmentEvent): void {
 export function assertEventExists(
   event?: CoreSegmentEvent | null
 ): asserts event is CoreSegmentEvent {
-  if (!event || typeof event !== 'object') {
+  if (!exists(event)) {
     throw new ValidationError('Event', nilError)
   }
+  if (typeof event !== 'object') {
+    throw new ValidationError('Event', objError)
+  }
 }
 
 export function assertEventType(event: CoreSegmentEvent): void {