diff --git a/R/data_summary.R b/R/data_summary.R
index 8bb4f3e09..3b02762ec 100644
--- a/R/data_summary.R
+++ b/R/data_summary.R
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ data_summary.default <- function(x, ...) {
 data_summary.data.frame <- function(x, ..., by = NULL) {
   dots <- eval(substitute(alist(...)))
 
+  # do we have any expression at all?
+  if (length(dots) == 0) {
+    insight::format_error("No expressions for calculating summary statistics provided.")
+  }
+
   if (is.null(by)) {
     # when we have no grouping, just compute a one-row summary
     summarise <- .process_datasummary_dots(dots, x)
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-data_summary.R b/tests/testthat/test-data_summary.R
index e057cc35a..b82d78095 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-data_summary.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-data_summary.R
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ test_that("data_summary, errors", {
     data_summary(iris$Sepal.Width, MW = mean(Sepal.Width), SD = sd(Sepal.Width)),
     regex = "only works for"
   )
+  # no expressions
+  expect_error(
+    data_summary(iris, by = "Species"),
+    regex = "No expressions for calculating"
+  )
 })