diff --git a/src/aggregation/accessor_helpers.rs b/src/aggregation/accessor_helpers.rs
index fa51041e4..cbd24c6b4 100644
--- a/src/aggregation/accessor_helpers.rs
+++ b/src/aggregation/accessor_helpers.rs
@@ -55,22 +55,44 @@ pub(crate) fn get_numeric_or_date_column_types() -> &'static [ColumnType] {
     ]
 }
 
-/// Get fast field reader or empty as default.
+/// Get fast field reader or return an error if the field doesn't exist.
 pub(crate) fn get_ff_reader(
     reader: &SegmentReader,
     field_name: &str,
     allowed_column_types: Option<&[ColumnType]>,
 ) -> crate::Result<(columnar::Column<u64>, ColumnType)> {
     let ff_fields = reader.fast_fields();
-    let ff_field_with_type = ff_fields
-        .u64_lenient_for_type(allowed_column_types, field_name)?
-        .unwrap_or_else(|| {
-            (
+    let ff_field_with_type = ff_fields.u64_lenient_for_type(allowed_column_types, field_name)?;
+
+    match ff_field_with_type {
+        Some(field) => Ok(field),
+        None => {
+            // Check if the field exists in the schema but is not a fast field
+            let schema = reader.schema();
+            if let Some((field, _path)) = schema.find_field(field_name) {
+                let field_type = schema.get_field_entry(field).field_type();
+                if !field_type.is_fast() {
+                    return Err(crate::TantivyError::SchemaError(format!(
+                        "Field '{}' is not a fast field. Aggregations require fast fields.",
+                        field_name
+                    )));
+                }
+            }
+
+            // Field doesn't exist at all or has no values in this segment
+            // Check if it exists in schema to provide a better error message
+            if schema.find_field(field_name).is_none() {
+                return Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name.to_string()));
+            }
+
+            // Field exists in schema and is a fast field, but has no values in this segment
+            // This is acceptable - return an empty column
+            Ok((
                 Column::build_empty_column(reader.num_docs()),
                 ColumnType::U64,
-            )
-        });
-    Ok(ff_field_with_type)
+            ))
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 pub(crate) fn get_dynamic_columns(
@@ -89,6 +111,7 @@ pub(crate) fn get_dynamic_columns(
 /// Get all fast field reader or empty as default.
 ///
 /// Is guaranteed to return at least one column.
+/// Returns an error if the field doesn't exist in the schema or is not a fast field.
 pub(crate) fn get_all_ff_reader_or_empty(
     reader: &SegmentReader,
     field_name: &str,
@@ -98,7 +121,25 @@ pub(crate) fn get_all_ff_reader_or_empty(
     let ff_fields = reader.fast_fields();
     let mut ff_field_with_type =
         ff_fields.u64_lenient_for_type_all(allowed_column_types, field_name)?;
+
     if ff_field_with_type.is_empty() {
+        // Check if the field exists in the schema but is not a fast field
+        let schema = reader.schema();
+        if let Some((field, _path)) = schema.find_field(field_name) {
+            let field_type = schema.get_field_entry(field).field_type();
+            if !field_type.is_fast() {
+                return Err(crate::TantivyError::SchemaError(format!(
+                    "Field '{}' is not a fast field. Aggregations require fast fields.",
+                    field_name
+                )));
+            }
+        } else {
+            // Field doesn't exist in the schema at all
+            return Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name.to_string()));
+        }
+
+        // Field exists in schema and is a fast field, but has no values in this segment
+        // This is acceptable - return an empty column
         ff_field_with_type.push((Column::build_empty_column(reader.num_docs()), fallback_type));
     }
     Ok(ff_field_with_type)
diff --git a/src/aggregation/agg_data.rs b/src/aggregation/agg_data.rs
index deedb5781..40dcf3fe6 100644
--- a/src/aggregation/agg_data.rs
+++ b/src/aggregation/agg_data.rs
@@ -1057,7 +1057,7 @@ mod tests {
             "avg": {"field": "score"}
         }));
         let terms_string_with_child = agg_from_json(json!({
-            "terms": {"field": "string_id"},
+            "terms": {"field": "text"},
             "aggs": {
                 "histo": {"histogram": {"field": "score", "interval": 10.0}}
             }
diff --git a/src/aggregation/agg_tests.rs b/src/aggregation/agg_tests.rs
index fede0c7c7..2d5ffa769 100644
--- a/src/aggregation/agg_tests.rs
+++ b/src/aggregation/agg_tests.rs
@@ -1005,3 +1005,123 @@ fn test_aggregation_on_json_object_mixed_numerical_segments() {
         )
     );
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_aggregation_invalid_field_returns_error() {
+    // Test that aggregations return an error when given an invalid field name
+    let index = get_test_index_2_segments(false).unwrap();
+    let reader = index.reader().unwrap();
+    let searcher = reader.searcher();
+
+    // Test with a field that doesn't exist at all
+    let agg_req_str = r#"
+    {
+        "date_histogram_test": {
+            "date_histogram": {
+                "field": "not_valid_field",
+                "fixed_interval": "30d"
+            }
+        }
+    }"#;
+    let agg: Aggregations = serde_json::from_str(agg_req_str).unwrap();
+    let collector = get_collector(agg);
+    let result = searcher.search(&AllQuery, &collector);
+
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+    match result {
+        Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name)) => {
+            assert_eq!(field_name, "not_valid_field");
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Expected FieldNotFound error, got: {:?}", result),
+    }
+
+    // Test with histogram aggregation on invalid field
+    let agg_req_str = r#"
+    {
+        "histogram_test": {
+            "histogram": {
+                "field": "invalid_histogram_field",
+                "interval": 10.0
+            }
+        }
+    }"#;
+    let agg: Aggregations = serde_json::from_str(agg_req_str).unwrap();
+    let collector = get_collector(agg);
+    let result = searcher.search(&AllQuery, &collector);
+
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+    match result {
+        Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name)) => {
+            assert_eq!(field_name, "invalid_histogram_field");
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Expected FieldNotFound error, got: {:?}", result),
+    }
+
+    // Test with terms aggregation on invalid field
+    let agg_req_str = r#"
+    {
+        "terms_test": {
+            "terms": {
+                "field": "invalid_terms_field"
+            }
+        }
+    }"#;
+    let agg: Aggregations = serde_json::from_str(agg_req_str).unwrap();
+    let collector = get_collector(agg);
+    let result = searcher.search(&AllQuery, &collector);
+
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+    match result {
+        Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name)) => {
+            assert_eq!(field_name, "invalid_terms_field");
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Expected FieldNotFound error, got: {:?}", result),
+    }
+
+    // Test with avg metric aggregation on invalid field
+    let agg_req_str = r#"
+    {
+        "avg_test": {
+            "avg": {
+                "field": "invalid_avg_field"
+            }
+        }
+    }"#;
+    let agg: Aggregations = serde_json::from_str(agg_req_str).unwrap();
+    let collector = get_collector(agg);
+    let result = searcher.search(&AllQuery, &collector);
+
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+    match result {
+        Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name)) => {
+            assert_eq!(field_name, "invalid_avg_field");
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Expected FieldNotFound error, got: {:?}", result),
+    }
+
+    // Test with range aggregation on invalid field
+    let agg_req_str = r#"
+    {
+        "range_test": {
+            "range": {
+                "field": "invalid_range_field",
+                "ranges": [
+                    { "to": 10.0 },
+                    { "from": 10.0, "to": 20.0 },
+                    { "from": 20.0 }
+                ]
+            }
+        }
+    }"#;
+    let agg: Aggregations = serde_json::from_str(agg_req_str).unwrap();
+    let collector = get_collector(agg);
+    let result = searcher.search(&AllQuery, &collector);
+
+    assert!(result.is_err());
+    match result {
+        Err(crate::TantivyError::FieldNotFound(field_name)) => {
+            assert_eq!(field_name, "invalid_range_field");
+        }
+        _ => panic!("Expected FieldNotFound error, got: {:?}", result),
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/aggregation/bucket/term_missing_agg.rs b/src/aggregation/bucket/term_missing_agg.rs
index 66f39927a..2baa7bbc8 100644
--- a/src/aggregation/bucket/term_missing_agg.rs
+++ b/src/aggregation/bucket/term_missing_agg.rs
@@ -255,6 +255,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn terms_aggregation_missing_mult_seg_empty() -> crate::Result<()> {
         let mut schema_builder = Schema::builder();
         let score = schema_builder.add_f64_field("score", FAST);
+        schema_builder.add_json_field("json", FAST);
         let schema = schema_builder.build();
         let index = Index::create_in_ram(schema);
         let mut index_writer: IndexWriter = index.writer_for_tests().unwrap();
@@ -302,6 +303,7 @@ mod tests {
     fn terms_aggregation_missing_single_seg_empty() -> crate::Result<()> {
         let mut schema_builder = Schema::builder();
         let score = schema_builder.add_f64_field("score", FAST);
+        schema_builder.add_json_field("json", FAST);
         let schema = schema_builder.build();
         let index = Index::create_in_ram(schema);
         let mut index_writer: IndexWriter = index.writer_for_tests().unwrap();