diff --git a/src/world/map.c b/src/world/map.c
index 301bf95e35..d6693ba64c 100644
--- a/src/world/map.c
+++ b/src/world/map.c
@@ -88,6 +88,11 @@ void map_element_iterator_restart_for_tile(map_element_iterator *it)
 
 rct_map_element *map_get_first_element_at(int x, int y)
 {
+	if (x < 0 || y < 0)
+	{ 
+		log_error("Trying to access element outside of range"); 
+		return NULL;
+	}
 	return TILE_MAP_ELEMENT_POINTER(x + y * 256);
 }