diff --git a/PepperDashEssentials/UI/EssentialsTouchpanelController.cs b/PepperDashEssentials/UI/EssentialsTouchpanelController.cs
index 34d5e11a..67f25f42 100644
--- a/PepperDashEssentials/UI/EssentialsTouchpanelController.cs
+++ b/PepperDashEssentials/UI/EssentialsTouchpanelController.cs
@@ -219,6 +219,11 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials
 
             var panel = GetPanelForType(dc.Type, comm.IpIdInt, props.ProjectName);
 
+            if (panel == null)
+            {
+                Debug.Console(0, "Unable to create Touchpanel for type {0}. Touchpanel Controller WILL NOT function correctly", dc.Type);
+            }
+
             Debug.Console(1, "Factory Attempting to create new EssentialsTouchpanelController");
 
             var panelController = new EssentialsTouchpanelController(dc.Key, dc.Name, panel, props);
diff --git a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/UI/TouchpanelBase.cs b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/UI/TouchpanelBase.cs
index fbb7cd32..36e0342e 100644
--- a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/UI/TouchpanelBase.cs	
+++ b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/UI/TouchpanelBase.cs	
@@ -29,7 +29,14 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core.UI
         /// <param name="id">IP-ID to use for touch panel</param>
         protected TouchpanelBase(string key, string name, BasicTriListWithSmartObject panel, CrestronTouchpanelPropertiesConfig config)
             :base(key, name)
-        {            
+        {
+
+            if (Panel == null)
+            {
+                Debug.Console(0, this, "Panel is not valid. Touchpanel class WILL NOT work correctly");
+                return;
+            }
+
             Panel = panel;
 
             Panel.SigChange += Panel_SigChange;