diff --git a/d2oracle/edit.go b/d2oracle/edit.go
index 25e53200e..ff0403d6e 100644
--- a/d2oracle/edit.go
+++ b/d2oracle/edit.go
@@ -42,6 +42,9 @@ func Create(g *d2graph.Graph, boardPath []string, key string) (_ *d2graph.Graph,
 		}
 		// TODO beter name
 		baseAST = boardG.BaseAST
+		if baseAST == nil {
+			return nil, "", fmt.Errorf("board %v cannot be modified through this file", boardPath)
+		}
 	}
 
 	newKey, edge, err := generateUniqueKey(boardG, key, nil, nil)
@@ -98,6 +101,9 @@ func Set(g *d2graph.Graph, boardPath []string, key string, tag, value *string) (
 		}
 		// TODO beter name
 		baseAST = boardG.BaseAST
+		if baseAST == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("board %v cannot be modified through this file", boardPath)
+		}
 	}
 
 	err = _set(boardG, baseAST, key, tag, value)
@@ -142,6 +148,9 @@ func ReconnectEdge(g *d2graph.Graph, boardPath []string, edgeKey string, srcKey,
 		}
 		// TODO beter name
 		baseAST = boardG.BaseAST
+		if baseAST == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("board %v cannot be modified through this file", boardPath)
+		}
 	}
 
 	obj := boardG.Root
@@ -946,6 +955,9 @@ func Delete(g *d2graph.Graph, boardPath []string, key string) (_ *d2graph.Graph,
 		}
 		// TODO beter name
 		baseAST = boardG.BaseAST
+		if baseAST == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("board %v cannot be modified through this file", boardPath)
+		}
 	}
 
 	g2, err := deleteReserved(g, boardPath, baseAST, mk)
@@ -1761,6 +1773,9 @@ func move(g *d2graph.Graph, boardPath []string, key, newKey string, includeDesce
 		}
 		// TODO beter name
 		baseAST = boardG.BaseAST
+		if baseAST == nil {
+			return nil, fmt.Errorf("board %v cannot be modified through this file", boardPath)
+		}
 	}
 
 	newKey, _, err := generateUniqueKey(boardG, newKey, nil, nil)
diff --git a/d2oracle/edit_test.go b/d2oracle/edit_test.go
index 7b8d139be..3d37814f0 100644
--- a/d2oracle/edit_test.go
+++ b/d2oracle/edit_test.go
@@ -2467,6 +2467,28 @@ layers: {
 (a -> b)[0].style.stroke: red
 `,
 		},
+		{
+			name: "import/10",
+
+			text: `heyn
+
+layers: {
+  man: {...@meow}
+}
+`,
+			fsTexts: map[string]string{
+				"meow.d2": `layers: {
+  1: {
+    asdf
+  }
+}
+`,
+			},
+			boardPath: []string{"man", "1"},
+			key:       `asdf.link`,
+			value:     go2.Pointer(`_._`),
+			expErr:    `failed to set "asdf.link" to "\"_._\"": board [man 1] cannot be modified through this file`,
+		},
 		{
 			name: "label-near/1",
 
diff --git a/testdata/d2oracle/TestSet/import/10.exp.json b/testdata/d2oracle/TestSet/import/10.exp.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..909ef237e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/d2oracle/TestSet/import/10.exp.json
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+{
+  "graph": null,
+  "err": "failed to set \"asdf.link\" to \"\\\"_._\\\"\": board [man 1] cannot be modified through this file"
+}