diff --git a/src/strings.cpp b/src/strings.cpp
index 0b0947db2a..61aefacdca 100644
--- a/src/strings.cpp
+++ b/src/strings.cpp
@@ -253,14 +253,24 @@ void GetStringWithArgs(StringBuilder &builder, StringID string, StringParameters
 	switch (tab) {
 		case TEXT_TAB_TOWN:
 			if (index >= 0xC0 && !game_script) {
-				GetSpecialTownNameString(builder, index - 0xC0, args.GetNextParameter<uint32_t>());
+				try {
+					GetSpecialTownNameString(builder, index - 0xC0, args.GetNextParameter<uint32_t>());
+				} catch (const std::runtime_error &e) {
+					Debug(misc, 0, "GetStringWithArgs: {}", e.what());
+					builder += "(invalid string parameter)";
+				}
 				return;
 			}
 			break;
 
 		case TEXT_TAB_SPECIAL:
 			if (index >= 0xE4 && !game_script) {
-				GetSpecialNameString(builder, index - 0xE4, args);
+				try {
+					GetSpecialNameString(builder, index - 0xE4, args);
+				} catch (const std::runtime_error &e) {
+					Debug(misc, 0, "GetStringWithArgs: {}", e.what());
+					builder += "(invalid string parameter)";
+				}
 				return;
 			}
 			break;
diff --git a/src/strings_internal.h b/src/strings_internal.h
index 64a20587fd..4d6b1a5b7e 100644
--- a/src/strings_internal.h
+++ b/src/strings_internal.h
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ public:
 		const auto &param = GetNextParameterReference();
 		const uint64_t *data = std::get_if<uint64_t>(&param.data);
 		if (data != nullptr) return static_cast<T>(*data);
-		return T{};
+		throw std::runtime_error("Attempt to read string parameter as integer");
 	}
 
 	/**
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public:
 		const auto &param = GetNextParameterReference();
 		const std::string *data = std::get_if<std::string>(&param.data);
 		if (data != nullptr) return data->c_str();
-		return nullptr;
+		throw std::runtime_error("Attempt to read integer parameter as string");
 	}
 
 	/**