diff --git a/test_scripts/exception_handler.cmt b/test_scripts/exception_handler.cmt
index 51050ca..4a32f1b 100644
--- a/test_scripts/exception_handler.cmt
+++ b/test_scripts/exception_handler.cmt
@@ -18,4 +18,14 @@ function second_function()
     throw Exception("My exception has a message")
 }
 
+function test_function() {
+    try {
+        print("inside the try")
+    }
+    finally {
+        print('finally after try')
+    }
+}
+
 first_function()
+test_function()
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/vmlib/compiler/src/statements.c b/vmlib/compiler/src/statements.c
index 28323b9..c3bbfde 100644
--- a/vmlib/compiler/src/statements.c
+++ b/vmlib/compiler/src/statements.c
@@ -253,9 +253,11 @@ void tryStatement(Parser *parser)
     emitByte(parser, OP_POP_EXCEPTION_HANDLER);
     int successJump = emitJump(parser, OP_JUMP);
     match(parser, TOKEN_EOL);
+    bool tryBlockCompleted = false;
 
     if (match(parser, TOKEN_CATCH))
     {
+        tryBlockCompleted = true;
         beginScope(parser);
         consume(parser, TOKEN_LEFT_PAREN, "Expect '(' after catch");
         consume(parser, TOKEN_IDENTIFIER, "Expect type name to catch");
@@ -279,6 +281,7 @@ void tryStatement(Parser *parser)
 
     if (match(parser, TOKEN_FINALLY))
     {
+        tryBlockCompleted = true;
         // If we arrive here from either the try or handler blocks, then we don't
         // want to continue propagating the exception
         emitByte(parser, OP_FALSE);
@@ -292,6 +295,11 @@ void tryStatement(Parser *parser)
         patchJump(parser, continueExecution);
         emitByte(parser, OP_POP);
     }
+
+    if (tryBlockCompleted == false)
+    {
+        errorAtCurrent(parser, "A try statement requires a catch, finally or both");
+    }
 }
 
 void throwStatement(Parser *parser)
diff --git a/vmlib/vm.c b/vmlib/vm.c
index 8d5761f..a3efeb9 100644
--- a/vmlib/vm.c
+++ b/vmlib/vm.c
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ static bool propagateException(VM *vm)
         for (int numHandlers = frame->handlerCount; numHandlers > 0; numHandlers--)
         {
             ExceptionHandler handler = frame->handlerStack[numHandlers - 1];
-            if (instanceof(exception, handler.klass) == TRUE_VAL)
+            if (handler.klass != NIL_VAL && instanceof(exception, handler.klass) == TRUE_VAL)
             {
                 frame->ip = &frame->closure->function->chunk.code[handler.handlerAddress];
                 return true;
@@ -1089,16 +1089,20 @@ static InterpretResult run(VM *vm)
         }
         case OP_PUSH_EXCEPTION_HANDLER:
         {
-            VALUE type = READ_CONSTANT();
+            uint8_t constantIndex = READ_BYTE();
+            VALUE type = NIL_VAL;
             uint16_t handlerAddress = READ_SHORT();
             uint16_t finallyAddress = READ_SHORT();
-            Value value;
-            if ((!findModuleVariable(frame->closure->function->module, type, &value) &&
-                 !findGlobal(type, &value)) ||
-                (!IS_CLASS(value) && !IS_NATIVE_CLASS(value)))
-            {
-                runtimeError(vm, "'%s' is not a type to catch", string_get_cstr(type));
-                return INTERPRET_RUNTIME_ERROR;
+            Value value = NIL_VAL;
+            if (constantIndex != 0xff) {
+                type = frame->closure->function->chunk.constants.values[constantIndex];
+                if ((!findModuleVariable(frame->closure->function->module, type, &value) &&
+                    !findGlobal(type, &value)) ||
+                    (!IS_CLASS(value) && !IS_NATIVE_CLASS(value)))
+                {
+                    runtimeError(vm, "'%s' is not a type to catch", string_get_cstr(type));
+                    return INTERPRET_RUNTIME_ERROR;
+                }
             }
             pushExceptionHandler(vm, value, handlerAddress, finallyAddress);
             break;