diff --git a/server/grpc_test.go b/server/grpc_test.go
index 77c030e23..f3521f1e9 100644
--- a/server/grpc_test.go
+++ b/server/grpc_test.go
@@ -25,7 +25,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/pql"
 	pb "github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/proto"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/server"
+	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/sql"
 	"github.com/pilosa/pilosa/v2/test"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/codes"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc/status"
 )
@@ -770,6 +772,50 @@ func TestQuerySQLUnary(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestQuerySQLUnaryWithError(t *testing.T) {
+
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	gh, tearDownFunc := setUpTestQuerySQLUnary(ctx, t)
+	defer tearDownFunc()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		sql string
+		err error
+	}{
+		{
+
+			sql: "select * from index_not_found",
+			err: pilosa.ErrIndexNotFound,
+		},
+		{
+
+			sql: "select field_not_found from grouper",
+			err: pilosa.ErrFieldNotFound,
+		},
+		{
+
+			sql: "select * from grouper, index_not_found",
+			err: sql.ErrUnsupportedQuery,
+		},
+		{
+
+			sql: "select _id, age, field_not_found from grouper",
+			err: pilosa.ErrFieldNotFound,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i, test := range tests {
+		t.Run("test-"+strconv.Itoa(i), func(t *testing.T) {
+			_, err := gh.QuerySQLUnary(ctx, &pb.QuerySQLRequest{Sql: test.sql})
+			if err == nil {
+				t.Fatalf("sql: %s, expected error: %v", test.sql, test.err)
+			} else if errors.Cause(err) != test.err {
+				t.Fatalf("sql: %s, expected error: %v, got: %v", test.sql, test.err, err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func setUpTestQuerySQLUnary(ctx context.Context, t *testing.T) (gh *server.GRPCHandler, tearDownFunc func()) {
 	t.Helper()
 
diff --git a/sql/extract.go b/sql/extract.go
index 8ea1c00cf..500df9012 100644
--- a/sql/extract.go
+++ b/sql/extract.go
@@ -145,7 +145,11 @@ func extractSelectFields(index *pilosa.Index, stmt *sqlparser.Select) ([]Column,
 						column = NewIDIndexColumn(index, alias)
 					}
 				} else {
-					column = NewFieldColumn(index.Field(fieldName), alias)
+					field := index.Field(fieldName)
+					if field == nil {
+						return nil, features, errors.Wrapf(pilosa.ErrFieldNotFound, "field %s", fieldName)
+					}
+					column = NewFieldColumn(field, alias)
 				}
 			case *sqlparser.FuncExpr:
 				funcName := FuncName(strings.ToLower(colExpr.Name.String()))
@@ -160,6 +164,9 @@ func extractSelectFields(index *pilosa.Index, stmt *sqlparser.Select) ([]Column,
 					if colExpr, ok := expr.Expr.(*sqlparser.ColName); ok {
 						fieldName := colExpr.Name.String()
 						field = index.Field(fieldName)
+						if field == nil {
+							return nil, features, errors.Wrapf(pilosa.ErrFieldNotFound, "field %s", fieldName)
+						}
 					} else {
 						return nil, features, errors.New("table name is required")
 					}