diff --git a/irc/channelmanager.go b/irc/channelmanager.go
index 5934ab43..f5bbed39 100644
--- a/irc/channelmanager.go
+++ b/irc/channelmanager.go
@@ -206,6 +206,10 @@ func (cm *ChannelManager) Cleanup(channel *Channel) {
 }
 
 func (cm *ChannelManager) SetRegistered(channelName string, account string) (err error) {
+	if account == "" {
+		return errAuthRequired // this is already enforced by ChanServ, but do a final check
+	}
+
 	if cm.server.Defcon() <= 4 {
 		return errFeatureDisabled
 	}
diff --git a/irc/errors.go b/irc/errors.go
index aed797eb..6c3a790a 100644
--- a/irc/errors.go
+++ b/irc/errors.go
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ var (
 	errAccountVerificationInvalidCode = errors.New("Invalid account verification code")
 	errAccountUpdateFailed            = errors.New(`Error while updating your account information`)
 	errAccountMustHoldNick            = errors.New(`You must hold that nickname in order to register it`)
+	errAuthRequired                   = errors.New("You must be logged into an account to do this")
 	errAuthzidAuthcidMismatch         = errors.New(`authcid and authzid must be the same`)
 	errCertfpAlreadyExists            = errors.New(`An account already exists for your certificate fingerprint`)
 	errChannelNotOwnedByAccount       = errors.New("Channel not owned by the specified account")