diff --git a/include/rice/rice.hpp b/include/rice/rice.hpp
index 13fb2c89..87bd59dd 100644
--- a/include/rice/rice.hpp
+++ b/include/rice/rice.hpp
@@ -1169,7 +1169,12 @@ namespace Rice::detail
 
       if (k == klass && m == method_id)
       {
-        return std::any_cast<Return_T>(d);
+        auto* ptr = std::any_cast<Return_T>(&d);
+        if (!ptr)
+        {
+          rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "Unexpected return type for %s#%s", rb_class2name(klass), rb_id2name(method_id));
+        }
+        return *ptr;
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/rice/detail/NativeRegistry.ipp b/rice/detail/NativeRegistry.ipp
index d325f81b..78ba58b8 100644
--- a/rice/detail/NativeRegistry.ipp
+++ b/rice/detail/NativeRegistry.ipp
@@ -68,7 +68,12 @@ namespace Rice::detail
 
       if (k == klass && m == method_id)
       {
-        return std::any_cast<Return_T>(d);
+        auto* ptr = std::any_cast<Return_T>(&d);
+        if (!ptr)
+        {
+          rb_raise(rb_eRuntimeError, "Unexpected return type for %s#%s", rb_class2name(klass), rb_id2name(method_id));
+        }
+        return *ptr;
       }
     }