diff --git a/doc/lua_api.md b/doc/lua_api.md
index 4d461f335..27a9fef96 100644
--- a/doc/lua_api.md
+++ b/doc/lua_api.md
@@ -8669,7 +8669,7 @@ In multiplayer mode, the error may be arbitrarily large.
 
 Interface for the operating system's crypto-secure PRNG.
 
-It can be created via `SecureRandom()`.  The constructor returns nil if a
+It can be created via `SecureRandom()`.  The constructor throws an error if a
 secure random device cannot be found on the system.
 
 ### Methods
diff --git a/src/script/lua_api/l_noise.cpp b/src/script/lua_api/l_noise.cpp
index 9836f4b09..ead14fec0 100644
--- a/src/script/lua_api/l_noise.cpp
+++ b/src/script/lua_api/l_noise.cpp
@@ -641,10 +641,9 @@ int LuaSecureRandom::create_object(lua_State *L)
 {
 	LuaSecureRandom *o = new LuaSecureRandom();
 
-	// Fail and return nil if we can't securely fill the buffer
 	if (!o->fillRandBuf()) {
 		delete o;
-		return 0;
+		throw LuaError("SecureRandom: Failed to find secure random device on system");
 	}
 
 	*(void **)(lua_newuserdata(L, sizeof(void *))) = o;