diff --git a/src/socket.io/user.js b/src/socket.io/user.js
index add94f3804..c8d473ef03 100644
--- a/src/socket.io/user.js
+++ b/src/socket.io/user.js
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ function toggleFollow(method, uid, theiruid, callback) {
 }
 
 SocketUser.saveSettings = function (socket, data, callback) {
-	if (!socket.uid || !data) {
+	if (!socket.uid || !data || !data.settings) {
 		return callback(new Error('[[error:invalid-data]]'));
 	}