diff --git a/base_layer/core/src/transactions/transaction_protocol/transaction_initializer.rs b/base_layer/core/src/transactions/transaction_protocol/transaction_initializer.rs
index 3735e680fa..d8d0facab3 100644
--- a/base_layer/core/src/transactions/transaction_protocol/transaction_initializer.rs
+++ b/base_layer/core/src/transactions/transaction_protocol/transaction_initializer.rs
@@ -488,9 +488,16 @@ impl SenderTransactionInitializer {
         Self::check_value("Missing Lock Height", &self.lock_height, &mut message);
         Self::check_value("Missing Fee per gram", &self.fee_per_gram, &mut message);
         Self::check_value("Missing Offset", &self.offset, &mut message);
-        Self::check_value("Change script", &self.private_nonce, &mut message);
-        Self::check_value("Change input data", &self.private_nonce, &mut message);
-        Self::check_value("Change script private key", &self.private_nonce, &mut message);
+        Self::check_value("Missing private nonce", &self.private_nonce, &mut message);
+        if self.change_secret.is_some() {
+            Self::check_value("Missing change script", &self.change_script, &mut message);
+            Self::check_value("Missing change input data", &self.change_input_data, &mut message);
+            Self::check_value(
+                "Change script private key",
+                &self.change_script_private_key,
+                &mut message,
+            );
+        }
 
         if !message.is_empty() {
             return self.build_err(&message.join(","));
@@ -1149,4 +1156,14 @@ mod test {
             ),
         }
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn fail_change_not_provided() {
+        let mut builder = SenderTransactionInitializer::new(1, &create_consensus_constants(0));
+        builder.with_change_secret(PrivateKey::random(&mut OsRng));
+        let err = builder.build(&CryptoFactories::default(), None, u64::MAX).unwrap_err();
+        assert!(err.message.contains("change script"));
+        assert!(err.message.contains("change input data"));
+        assert!(err.message.contains("Change script private key"));
+    }
 }