diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 46d4d66..947dc61 100644
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -111,6 +111,10 @@ function noQsMethod(options) {
 
 function authorize(options, onConnection) {
   options = xtend({ decodedPropertyName: 'decoded_token', encodedPropertyName: 'encoded_token' }, options);
+  
+  if (typeof options.secret !== 'string') {
+    throw new Error(`Provided secret "${options.secret}" is invalid, must be of type string.`)
+  }
 
   if (!options.handshake) {
     return noQsMethod(options);