diff --git a/Source/Bogus.Tests/StrictModeTests.cs b/Source/Bogus.Tests/StrictModeTests.cs
index 4e2d7468..1c5e705f 100644
--- a/Source/Bogus.Tests/StrictModeTests.cs
+++ b/Source/Bogus.Tests/StrictModeTests.cs
@@ -94,5 +94,22 @@ public void cannot_use_rules_with_strictmode_inside_rulesets()
          Action act2 = () => faker2.AssertConfigurationIsValid();
          act2.Should().Throw<ValidationException>();
       }
+
+      [Fact]
+      public void strictmode_with_no_rules_should_throw()
+      {
+         var faker = new Faker<Examples.Order>()
+            .StrictMode(true);
+
+         Action act = () => faker.Generate(1);
+
+         act.Should().ThrowExactly<ValidationException>()
+            .WithMessage("*Missing Rules*")
+            .WithMessage("*Validation was called to ensure all properties*")
+            .WithMessage($"*{nameof(Examples.Order.OrderId)}*")
+            .WithMessage($"*{nameof(Examples.Order.Item)}*")
+            .WithMessage($"*{nameof(Examples.Order.Quantity)}*")
+            .WithMessage($"*{nameof(Examples.Order.LotNumber)}*");
+      }
    }
 }
diff --git a/Source/Bogus/Faker[T].cs b/Source/Bogus/Faker[T].cs
index 4e8537d7..5c942ea6 100644
--- a/Source/Bogus/Faker[T].cs
+++ b/Source/Bogus/Faker[T].cs
@@ -744,7 +744,7 @@ private ValidationResult ValidateInternal(string[] ruleSets)
             {
                foreach( var propOrFieldOfT in userSet )
                {
-                  if( populateActions.TryGetValue(propOrFieldOfT, out var populateAction) )
+                  if( populateActions is not null && populateActions.TryGetValue(propOrFieldOfT, out var populateAction) )
                   {
                      // Very much a .Rules() action
                      if( populateAction.ProhibitInStrictMode )