diff --git a/Code/Framework/AzToolsFramework/AzToolsFramework/Prefab/PrefabSystemComponent.cpp b/Code/Framework/AzToolsFramework/AzToolsFramework/Prefab/PrefabSystemComponent.cpp
index c697be437b..3f660bb73b 100644
--- a/Code/Framework/AzToolsFramework/AzToolsFramework/Prefab/PrefabSystemComponent.cpp
+++ b/Code/Framework/AzToolsFramework/AzToolsFramework/Prefab/PrefabSystemComponent.cpp
@@ -782,7 +782,7 @@ namespace AzToolsFramework
             link.SetInstanceName(instanceName.data());
 
             PrefabDomValue& instance = instanceIterator->value;
-
+            AZ_Assert(instance.IsObject(), "Nested instance DOM provided is not a valid JSON object.");
             PrefabDomValueReference sourceTemplateName = PrefabDomUtils::FindPrefabDomValue(instance, PrefabDomUtils::SourceName);
             AZ_Assert(sourceTemplateName, "Couldn't find source template name in the DOM of the nested instance while creating a link.");
             AZ_Assert(