diff --git a/src/program/admin.py b/src/program/admin.py
index 7fc11b05..eebfa209 100644
--- a/src/program/admin.py
+++ b/src/program/admin.py
@@ -1,6 +1,20 @@
-from django.contrib import admin
+from django.contrib import (
+    admin,
+    messages
+)
+from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 
-from .models import Event, Speaker, EventType, EventInstance, EventLocation, SpeakerProposal, EventProposal, Favorite
+
+from .models import (
+    Event,
+    Speaker,
+    EventType,
+    EventInstance,
+    EventLocation,
+    SpeakerProposal,
+    EventProposal,
+    Favorite
+)
 
 
 @admin.register(SpeakerProposal)
@@ -18,7 +32,18 @@ class SpeakerProposalAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
 class EventProposalAdmin(admin.ModelAdmin):
     def mark_eventproposal_as_approved(self, request, queryset):
         for ep in queryset:
-            ep.mark_as_approved()
+            if not ep.speakers.all():
+                messages.error(
+                    request,
+                    'Event cant be approved as it has no speaker(s).'
+                )
+                return False
+            else:
+                try:
+                    ep.mark_as_approved()
+                except ValidationError as e:
+                    messages.error(request, e)
+                    return False
     mark_eventproposal_as_approved.description = 'Approve and create Event object(s)'
 
     actions = ['mark_eventproposal_as_approved']
diff --git a/src/program/models.py b/src/program/models.py
index a89197ee..1f8449a8 100644
--- a/src/program/models.py
+++ b/src/program/models.py
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ from datetime import timedelta
 from django.contrib.postgres.fields import DateTimeRangeField
 from django.contrib import messages
 from django.db import models
+from django.core.exceptions import ObjectDoesNotExist
 from django.dispatch import receiver
 from django.utils.text import slugify
 from django.utils import timezone
@@ -278,8 +279,10 @@ class EventProposal(UserSubmittedModel):
         event.save()
         # loop through the speakerproposals linked to this eventproposal and associate any related speaker objects with this event
         for sp in self.speakers.all():
-            if sp.speaker:
+            try:
                 event.speakers.add(sp.speaker)
+            except ObjectDoesNotExist:
+                raise ValidationError('Not all speakers are approved or created yet.')
 
         self.proposal_status = eventproposalmodel.PROPOSAL_APPROVED
         self.save()