diff --git a/include/ipmid/message/pack.hpp b/include/ipmid/message/pack.hpp
index b458af4..8a9abe1 100644
--- a/include/ipmid/message/pack.hpp
+++ b/include/ipmid/message/pack.hpp
@@ -75,6 +75,8 @@
      */
     static int op(Payload& p, const T& t)
     {
+        static_assert(std::is_integral_v<T>,
+                      "Attempt to pack a type that has no IPMI pack operation");
         // if not on a byte boundary, must pack values LSbit/LSByte first
         if (p.bitCount)
         {