diff --git a/app/vmalert/main.go b/app/vmalert/main.go
index 540ff27fff..5fdeb811d1 100644
--- a/app/vmalert/main.go
+++ b/app/vmalert/main.go
@@ -97,6 +97,9 @@ func main() {
 		if err != nil {
 			logger.Fatalf("failed to init remoteWrite: %s", err)
 		}
+		if rw == nil {
+			logger.Fatalf("remoteWrite.url can't be empty in replay mode")
+		}
 		notifier.InitTemplateFunc(eu)
 		groupsCfg, err := config.Parse(*rulePath, *validateTemplates, *validateExpressions)
 		if err != nil {