diff --git a/packages/net/packet/packet.js b/packages/net/packet/packet.js
index 4134b65..65a8cce 100644
--- a/packages/net/packet/packet.js
+++ b/packages/net/packet/packet.js
@@ -9,7 +9,20 @@ export class Packet {
 
   static get builder() {
     if (!this._builder) {
-      this._builder = schemapack.build(this.schema);
+      const schema = this.schema;
+      if (!schema._id) {
+        throw new Error([
+          `No packet id found in '${this.name}.schema'. This is usually due to forgetting to`,
+          'inherit from Packet.schema within your packet subclass schema definition.',
+        ].join(' '));
+      }
+      if (!schema.data) {
+        throw new Error([
+          `No data found in '${this.name}.schema'. This is usually due to forgetting to`,
+          'inherit from Packet.schema within your packet subclass schema definition.',
+        ].join(' '));
+      }
+      this._builder = schemapack.build(schema);
     }
     return this._builder;
   }