diff --git a/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js b/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js
index 05406d65fc..5f2cdf3e3a 100644
--- a/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js
+++ b/src/ol/webgl/ShaderBuilder.js
@@ -120,6 +120,93 @@ export function isValueTypeColor(value) {
   return getValueType(value) === ValueTypes.COLOR || getValueType(value) === ValueTypes.COLOR_OR_STRING;
 }
 
+
+/**
+ * Check that the provided value or expression is valid, and that the types used are compatible.
+ *
+ * Will throw an exception if found to be invalid.
+ *
+ * @param {import("../style/LiteralStyle").ExpressionValue} value Either literal or an operator.
+ */
+export function check(value) {
+  const v = value;
+
+  // these will be used to validate types in the expressions
+  function checkNumber(value) {
+    if (!isValueTypeNumber(value)) {
+      throw new Error(`A numeric value was expected, got ${JSON.stringify(value)} instead`);
+    }
+  }
+  function checkColor(value) {
+    if (!isValueTypeColor(value)) {
+      throw new Error(`A color value was expected, got ${JSON.stringify(value)} instead`);
+    }
+  }
+  function checkString(value) {
+    if (!isValueTypeString(value)) {
+      throw new Error(`A string value was expected, got ${JSON.stringify(value)} instead`);
+    }
+  }
+
+  // first check that the value is of a recognized kind
+  if (!isValueTypeColor(value) && !isValueTypeNumber(value) && !isValueTypeString(value)) {
+    throw new Error(`No type could be inferred from the following expression: ${JSON.stringify(value)}`);
+  }
+
+  // check operator arguments
+  if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+    switch (value[0]) {
+      case 'get':
+      case 'var':
+        checkString(v[1]);
+        break;
+      case 'time':
+        break;
+      case '*':
+      case '+':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        checkNumber(v[2]);
+        break;
+      case 'clamp':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        checkNumber(v[2]);
+        checkNumber(v[3]);
+        break;
+      case 'stretch':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        checkNumber(v[2]);
+        checkNumber(v[3]);
+        checkNumber(v[4]);
+        checkNumber(v[5]);
+        break;
+      case '>':
+      case '>=':
+      case '<':
+      case '<=':
+      case '==':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        checkNumber(v[2]);
+        break;
+      case '!':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        break;
+      case 'between':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        checkNumber(v[2]);
+        checkNumber(v[3]);
+        break;
+
+      case 'interpolate':
+        checkNumber(v[1]);
+        checkColor(v[2]);
+        checkColor(v[3]);
+        break;
+
+      default: throw new Error(`Unrecognized operator in style expression: ${JSON.stringify(value)}`);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Parses the provided expressions and produces a GLSL-compatible assignment string, such as:
  * `['add', ['*', ['get', 'size'], 0.001], 12] => '(a_size * (0.001)) + (12.0)'
@@ -139,6 +226,8 @@ export function isValueTypeColor(value) {
  * @returns {string} Assignment string.
  */
 export function parse(value, attributes, attributePrefix, variables) {
+  check(value);
+
   const v = value;
   function p(value) {
     return parse(value, attributes, attributePrefix, variables);
diff --git a/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js b/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js
index 944b72346a..f37bd646b9 100644
--- a/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js
+++ b/test/spec/ol/webgl/shaderbuilder.test.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import {
+  check,
   formatArray,
   formatColor,
   formatNumber,
@@ -248,6 +249,88 @@ void main(void) {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('check', function() {
+
+    it('does not throw on valid expressions', function(done) {
+      check(1);
+      check(['get', 'myAttr']);
+      check(['var', 'myValue']);
+      check(['time']);
+      check(['+', ['*', ['get', 'size'], 0.001], 12]);
+      check(['clamp', ['get', 'attr2'], ['get', 'attr3'], 20]);
+      check(['stretch', ['get', 'size'], 10, 100, 4, 8]);
+      check(['>', 10, ['get', 'attr4']]);
+      check(['>=', 10, ['get', 'attr4']]);
+      check(['<', 10, ['get', 'attr4']]);
+      check(['<=', 10, ['get', 'attr4']]);
+      check(['==', 10, ['get', 'attr4']]);
+      check(['between', ['get', 'attr4'], -4.0, 5.0]);
+      check(['!', ['get', 'attr4']]);
+      done();
+    });
+
+    it('throws on unsupported types for operators', function() {
+      let thrown = false;
+      try {
+        check(['var', 1234]);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      try {
+        check(['<', 0, 'aa']);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      try {
+        check(['+', true, ['get', 'attr']]);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      expect(thrown).to.be(true);
+    });
+
+    it('throws with the wrong number of arguments', function() {
+      let thrown = false;
+      try {
+        check(['var', 1234, 456]);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      try {
+        check(['<', 4]);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      try {
+        check(['+']);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      expect(thrown).to.be(true);
+    });
+
+    it('throws on invalid expressions', function() {
+      let thrown = false;
+      try {
+        check(true);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      try {
+        check([123, 456]);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      try {
+        check(null);
+      } catch (e) {
+        thrown = true;
+      }
+      expect(thrown).to.be(true);
+    });
+
+  });
+
   describe('parse', function() {
     let attributes, prefix, variables, parseFn;