diff --git a/hopper.go b/hopper.go
index 81b06ce..c1fa8a2 100644
--- a/hopper.go
+++ b/hopper.go
@@ -55,6 +55,10 @@ const (
 	mtuLimit = 1500
 )
 
+var (
+	errNoNextHop = errors.New("no next hop provided")
+)
+
 type (
 	// OnClientInCallback is a callback function that processes incoming packets from clients
 	OnClientInCallback func(client net.Addr, in []byte) (out []byte)
@@ -119,6 +123,10 @@ func ListenWithOptions(laddr string,
 		return nil, errors.WithStack(err)
 	}
 
+	if len(nexthops) == 0 {
+		return nil, errors.WithStack(errNoNextHop)
+	}
+
 	err = conn.SetReadBuffer(sockbuf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.WithStack(err)