diff --git a/packages/svelte/messages/client-errors/errors.md b/packages/svelte/messages/client-errors/errors.md
index 4e8af2e6b4..9bd7e8a654 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/messages/client-errors/errors.md
+++ b/packages/svelte/messages/client-errors/errors.md
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@
 
 > Failed to hydrate the application
 
+## invalid_snippet
+
+> Could not `{@render}` snippet due to the expression being `null` or `undefined`. Consider using optional chaining `{@render snippet?.()}`
+
 ## lifecycle_legacy_only
 
 > `%name%(...)` cannot be used in runes mode
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/client/visitors/RenderTag.js b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/client/visitors/RenderTag.js
index d782c8c2aa..ad3fa6d240 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/client/visitors/RenderTag.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/compiler/phases/3-transform/client/visitors/RenderTag.js
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ export function RenderTag(node, context) {
 	if (node.metadata.dynamic) {
 		// If we have a chain expression then ensure a nullish snippet function gets turned into an empty one
 		if (node.expression.type === 'ChainExpression') {
-			snippet_function = b.logical('??', snippet_function, b.id('$.empty_snippet'));
+			snippet_function = b.logical('??', snippet_function, b.id('$.noop'));
 		}
 
 		context.state.init.push(
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/snippet.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/snippet.js
index 8a312afebc..cec57f83b7 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/snippet.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/dom/blocks/snippet.js
@@ -11,8 +11,10 @@ import { hydrate_next, hydrate_node, hydrating } from '../hydration.js';
 import { create_fragment_from_html } from '../reconciler.js';
 import { assign_nodes } from '../template.js';
 import * as w from '../../warnings.js';
+import * as e from '../../errors.js';
 import { DEV } from 'esm-env';
 import { get_first_child, get_next_sibling } from '../operations.js';
+import { noop } from '../../../shared/utils.js';
 
 /**
  * @template {(node: TemplateNode, ...args: any[]) => void} SnippetFn
@@ -25,7 +27,8 @@ export function snippet(node, get_snippet, ...args) {
 	var anchor = node;
 
 	/** @type {SnippetFn | null | undefined} */
-	var snippet = /** @type {SnippetFn} */ (empty_snippet);
+	// @ts-ignore
+	var snippet = noop;
 
 	/** @type {Effect | null} */
 	var snippet_effect;
@@ -38,6 +41,10 @@ export function snippet(node, get_snippet, ...args) {
 			snippet_effect = null;
 		}
 
+		if (DEV && snippet == null) {
+			e.invalid_snippet();
+		}
+
 		snippet_effect = branch(() => /** @type {SnippetFn} */ (snippet)(anchor, ...args));
 	}, EFFECT_TRANSPARENT);
 
@@ -46,10 +53,6 @@ export function snippet(node, get_snippet, ...args) {
 	}
 }
 
-// Just an empty function
-/** @type {(...args: any[]) => void} */
-export const empty_snippet = () => {};
-
 /**
  * In development, wrap the snippet function so that it passes validation, and so that the
  * correct component context is set for ownership checks
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/errors.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/errors.js
index 8b537ed7ba..26d38f0aba 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/errors.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/errors.js
@@ -210,6 +210,22 @@ export function hydration_failed() {
 	}
 }
 
+/**
+ * Could not `{@render}` snippet due to the expression being `null` or `undefined`. Consider using optional chaining `{@render snippet?.()}`
+ * @returns {never}
+ */
+export function invalid_snippet() {
+	if (DEV) {
+		const error = new Error(`invalid_snippet\nCould not \`{@render}\` snippet due to the expression being \`null\` or \`undefined\`. Consider using optional chaining \`{@render snippet?.()}\``);
+
+		error.name = 'Svelte error';
+		throw error;
+	} else {
+		// TODO print a link to the documentation
+		throw new Error("invalid_snippet");
+	}
+}
+
 /**
  * `%name%(...)` cannot be used in runes mode
  * @param {string} name
diff --git a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/index.js b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/index.js
index 407b4ff5b0..519a412486 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/index.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/src/internal/client/index.js
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ export { css_props } from './dom/blocks/css-props.js';
 export { index, each } from './dom/blocks/each.js';
 export { html } from './dom/blocks/html.js';
 export { sanitize_slots, slot } from './dom/blocks/slot.js';
-export { snippet, wrap_snippet, empty_snippet } from './dom/blocks/snippet.js';
+export { snippet, wrap_snippet } from './dom/blocks/snippet.js';
 export { component } from './dom/blocks/svelte-component.js';
 export { element } from './dom/blocks/svelte-element.js';
 export { head } from './dom/blocks/svelte-head.js';
diff --git a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/snippet-undefined/_config.js b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/snippet-undefined/_config.js
index b5e2e50cc9..4a13e208b5 100644
--- a/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/snippet-undefined/_config.js
+++ b/packages/svelte/tests/runtime-runes/samples/snippet-undefined/_config.js
@@ -8,6 +8,6 @@ export default test({
 		assert.throws(() => {
 			btn?.click();
 			flushSync();
-		}, /snippet is not a function/);
+		}, /invalid_snippet/);
 	}
 });