diff --git a/crates/engine/src/cmd/pivot.rs b/crates/engine/src/cmd/pivot.rs
index 8a441fa1b..06050f7e8 100644
--- a/crates/engine/src/cmd/pivot.rs
+++ b/crates/engine/src/cmd/pivot.rs
@@ -675,7 +675,13 @@ fn insert_pivot(s: &mut Session, p: &Json) -> Result<Json> {
                     Json::String(n) => add_to_area("insert.pivotTable", pt, &src, n, area, None, None, None)?,
                     Json::Object(_) => {
                         let n = str_param(f, "field").ok_or_else(|| bad("insert.pivotTable", "a field object needs `field`"))?;
-                        add_to_area("insert.pivotTable", pt, &src, n, area, func_param(str_param(f, "func")), str_param(f, "name"), None)?;
+                        let func = match str_param(f, "func") {
+                            Some(fname) => {
+                                Some(func_param(Some(fname)).ok_or_else(|| bad("insert.pivotTable", format!("unknown function `{fname}`")))?)
+                            }
+                            None => None,
+                        };
+                        add_to_area("insert.pivotTable", pt, &src, n, area, func, str_param(f, "name"), None)?;
                         let by = group_param(str_param(f, "group"));
                         if let Some(by) = by.filter(|b| *b != PivotDateGroup::None)
                             && matches!(area, "rows" | "columns")
diff --git a/crates/engine/tests/pivot_unknown_func.rs b/crates/engine/tests/pivot_unknown_func.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f4d2427f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/engine/tests/pivot_unknown_func.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+use gridcraft_engine::Session;
+use serde_json::json;
+
+fn session() -> Session {
+    let mut s = Session::new();
+    s.new_workbook();
+    s.execute("range.setValues", json!({"range":"A1", "values":[["Region", "Sales"], ["East", "10"], ["East", "2"], ["West", "4"]]})).unwrap();
+    s
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn insert_pivot_table_rejects_unknown_func() {
+    for func in ["stdev", "sumx"] {
+        let mut s = session();
+        let r = s.execute(
+            "insert.pivotTable",
+            json!({"source":"Sheet1!A1:B4", "destination":"Sheet1!F1", "rows":["Region"], "values":[{"field":"Sales", "func":func}]}),
+        );
+        assert!(r.is_err(), "unknown func `{func}` accepted silently");
+        assert!(s.doc().unwrap().wb.active().unwrap().pivots.is_empty());
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn insert_pivot_table_accepts_known_func() {
+    let mut s = session();
+    s.execute(
+        "insert.pivotTable",
+        json!({"source":"Sheet1!A1:B4", "destination":"Sheet1!F1", "rows":["Region"], "values":[{"field":"Sales", "func":"stddev"}]}),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(s.doc().unwrap().wb.active().unwrap().pivots.len(), 1);
+}