diff --git a/.changeset/long-colts-grab.md b/.changeset/long-colts-grab.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7816be6e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/long-colts-grab.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"jspsych": patch
+---
+
+`jsPsych.timelineVariable()` will now throw an `Error` when the timeline variable does not exist