diff --git a/src/spaces/graph.jl b/src/spaces/graph.jl
index 2f85ecac3..8a96458c1 100644
--- a/src/spaces/graph.jl
+++ b/src/spaces/graph.jl
@@ -68,8 +68,10 @@ random_position(model::ABM{<:GraphSpace}) = rand(abmrng(model), 1:nv(model))
 function remove_agent_from_space!(agent::AbstractAgent, model::ABM{<:GraphSpace})
     agentpos = agent.pos
     ids = ids_in_position(agentpos, model)
-    deleteat!(ids, findfirst(a -> a == agent.id, ids))
-    return model
+    agentid = findfirst(a -> a == agent.id, ids)
+    isnothing(agentid) && error(lazy"Tried to remove $(agent) from the space, but that agent is not on the space")
+    deleteat!(ids, agentid)
+    return agent
 end
 
 function add_agent_to_space!(agent::AbstractAgent, model::ABM{<:GraphSpace})