diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin-transform-runtime/src/index.js b/packages/babel-plugin-transform-runtime/src/index.js
index 88fe373cc0..7fb69f49d5 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin-transform-runtime/src/index.js
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin-transform-runtime/src/index.js
@@ -72,6 +72,9 @@ export default declare((api, options, dirname) => {
         `but got ${JSON.stringify(corejsVersion)}.`,
     );
   }
+  if (typeof runtimeVersion !== "string") {
+    throw new Error(`The 'version' option must be a version string.`);
+  }
 
   function has(obj, key) {
     return Object.prototype.hasOwnProperty.call(obj, key);