diff --git a/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryObjectResource.java b/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryObjectResource.java
index 298f76b56..7e45b2b82 100644
--- a/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryObjectResource.java
+++ b/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryObjectResource.java
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import javax.ws.rs.GET;
 import javax.ws.rs.PUT;
 import javax.ws.rs.Produces;
 import javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType;
+import org.apache.guacamole.GuacamoleClientException;
 import org.apache.guacamole.GuacamoleException;
 import org.apache.guacamole.net.auth.Directory;
 import org.apache.guacamole.net.auth.Identifiable;
@@ -120,8 +121,15 @@ public class DirectoryObjectResource<InternalType extends Identifiable, External
      */
     @PUT
     public void updateObject(ExternalType modifiedObject) throws GuacamoleException {
+
+        // Validate that data was provided
+        if (modifiedObject == null)
+            throw new GuacamoleClientException("Data must be submitted when updating objects.");
+
+        // Perform update
         translator.applyExternalChanges(object, modifiedObject);
         directory.update(object);
+
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryResource.java b/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryResource.java
index 8c748b004..5f726f60c 100644
--- a/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryResource.java
+++ b/guacamole/src/main/java/org/apache/guacamole/rest/directory/DirectoryResource.java
@@ -222,6 +222,10 @@ public class DirectoryResource<InternalType extends Identifiable, ExternalType>
     public ExternalType createObject(ExternalType object)
             throws GuacamoleException {
 
+        // Validate that data was provided
+        if (object == null)
+            throw new GuacamoleClientException("Data must be submitted when creating objects.");
+
         // Create the new object within the directory
         directory.add(translator.toInternalObject(object));