diff --git a/src/nvim/api/vimscript.c b/src/nvim/api/vimscript.c
index 67db615b20..e0a3386ffb 100644
--- a/src/nvim/api/vimscript.c
+++ b/src/nvim/api/vimscript.c
@@ -282,7 +282,10 @@ Object nvim_call_dict_function(Object dict, String fn, Array args, Arena *arena,
   switch (dict.type) {
   case kObjectTypeString:
     TRY_WRAP(err, {
-      eval0(dict.data.string.data, &rettv, NULL, &EVALARG_EVALUATE);
+      int rv = eval0(dict.data.string.data, &rettv, NULL, &EVALARG_EVALUATE);
+      if (rv != OK && !ERROR_SET(err)) {
+        abort();
+      }
       clear_evalarg(&EVALARG_EVALUATE, NULL);
     });
     if (ERROR_SET(err)) {