diff --git a/src/octoprint/plugins/softwareupdate/__init__.py b/src/octoprint/plugins/softwareupdate/__init__.py
index ad1683a1..399a70a1 100644
--- a/src/octoprint/plugins/softwareupdate/__init__.py
+++ b/src/octoprint/plugins/softwareupdate/__init__.py
@@ -400,14 +400,13 @@ class SoftwareUpdatePlugin(octoprint.plugin.BlueprintPlugin,
 			if not target in check_targets:
 				continue
 
-			populated_check = self._populated_check(target, check)
-
 			try:
+				populated_check = self._populated_check(target, check)
 				target_information, target_update_available, target_update_possible = self._get_current_version(target, populated_check, force=force)
 				if target_information is None:
 					target_information = dict()
 			except exceptions.UnknownCheckType:
-				self._logger.warn("Unknown update check type for %s" % target)
+				self._logger.warn("Unknown update check type for target {}".format(target))
 				continue
 
 			target_information = dict_merge(dict(local=dict(name="unknown", value="unknown"), remote=dict(name="unknown", value="unknown")), target_information)
@@ -655,6 +654,9 @@ class SoftwareUpdatePlugin(octoprint.plugin.BlueprintPlugin,
 			raise exceptions.RestartFailed()
 
 	def _populated_check(self, target, check):
+		if not "type" in check:
+			raise exceptions.UnknownCheckType()
+
 		result = dict(check)
 
 		if target == "octoprint":