diff --git a/packages/contracts/src.ts/index.ts b/packages/contracts/src.ts/index.ts
index 96a3ca369..cbce2af49 100644
--- a/packages/contracts/src.ts/index.ts
+++ b/packages/contracts/src.ts/index.ts
@@ -658,6 +658,10 @@ export class Contract {
         defineReadOnly(this, "_runningEvents", { });
         defineReadOnly(this, "_wrappedEmits", { });
 
+        if (addressOrName == null) {
+            logger.throwArgumentError("invalid contract address or ENS name", "addressOrName", addressOrName);
+        }
+
         defineReadOnly(this, "address", addressOrName);
         if (this.provider) {
             defineReadOnly(this, "resolvedAddress", resolveName(this.provider, addressOrName));