diff --git a/examples/agent_patterns/parallelization.py b/examples/agent_patterns/parallelization.py
index fe2a8ecd0..6fb9a3d6b 100644
--- a/examples/agent_patterns/parallelization.py
+++ b/examples/agent_patterns/parallelization.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@
 
 async def main():
     msg = input("Hi! Enter a message, and we'll translate it to Spanish.\n\n")
+    if not msg.strip():
+        raise ValueError("Input message cannot be empty.")
 
     # Ensure the entire workflow is a single trace
     with trace("Parallel translation"):
@@ -37,7 +39,6 @@ async def main():
                 msg,
             ),
         )
-
         outputs = [
             ItemHelpers.text_message_outputs(res_1.new_items),
             ItemHelpers.text_message_outputs(res_2.new_items),