diff --git a/R/table-utils.R b/R/table-utils.R
index cfdcd10c..42f35e77 100644
--- a/R/table-utils.R
+++ b/R/table-utils.R
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ require_col <- function(data,col,context=NULL) {
 gluet <- function(x, .envir = parent.frame(), ...) {
   x <- force(x)
   if(!is.environment(.envir)) {
-    abort("pmtables error: cannot glue into .envir that is not environment")
+    abort("pmtables error: cannot `glue()` - .envir is not an environment.")
   }
   glue(x,.open = "<", .close = ">", .envir = .envir)
 }
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-table-utils.R b/tests/testthat/test-table-utils.R
index 2b20c498..7dcd9824 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-table-utils.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-table-utils.R
@@ -278,3 +278,12 @@ test_that("table-utils paste units [PMT-TEST-0239]", {
     c("B mg", "E", "D kg", "C pounds", "A")
   )
 })
+
+test_that("error is generated when calling gluet with non-environment", {
+  x <- list(a = 1, b = 2, c = 3)
+  what <- "<b><a><c>"
+  expect_error(pmtables:::gluet(what, .envir = x), "pmtables error:")
+  env <- as.environment(x)
+  ans <- pmtables:::gluet(what, .envir = env)
+  expect_identical(unclass(ans), "213")
+})