diff --git a/lib/pure/json.nim b/lib/pure/json.nim
index 5b6cf0856ea07..319a7b7ffe5e2 100644
--- a/lib/pure/json.nim
+++ b/lib/pure/json.nim
@@ -1055,6 +1055,7 @@ when defined(nimFixedForwardGeneric):
       jsonPath.setLen originalJsonPathLen
 
   proc initFromJson[T](dst: var ref T; jsonNode: JsonNode; jsonPath: var string) =
+    verifyJsonKind(jsonNode, {JObject, JNull}, jsonPath)
     if jsonNode.kind == JNull:
       dst = nil
     else: