diff --git a/task_test.go b/task_test.go
index 599277c8c5..0ddf2ea1c6 100644
--- a/task_test.go
+++ b/task_test.go
@@ -1527,6 +1527,35 @@ func TestIncludesInterpolation(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestIncludesInvalidTaskfile(t *testing.T) {
+	const dir = "testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile"
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name        string
+		expectedErr string
+	}{
+		{"include_empty_taskfile", "taskfile field in the include cannot be empty"},
+		{"include_empty_value", "taskfile of the include cannot be empty"},
+		{"include_missing_taskfile", "taskfile field in the include cannot be null"},
+		{"include_null_taskfile", "taskfile field in the include cannot be null"},
+		{"include_null_value", "value of the include cannot be null"},
+	}
+
+	for _, test := range tests {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			var buff bytes.Buffer
+			e := task.Executor{
+				Dir:    filepath.Join(dir, test.name),
+				Stdout: &buff,
+				Stderr: &buff,
+				Silent: true,
+			}
+			err := e.Setup()
+			assert.ErrorContains(t, err, test.expectedErr)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestIncludedTaskfileVarMerging(t *testing.T) {
 	const dir = "testdata/included_taskfile_var_merging"
 	tests := []struct {
diff --git a/taskfile/ast/include.go b/taskfile/ast/include.go
index 659070de4a..fb8cacb81e 100644
--- a/taskfile/ast/include.go
+++ b/taskfile/ast/include.go
@@ -29,13 +29,18 @@ type Includes struct {
 func (includes *Includes) UnmarshalYAML(node *yaml.Node) error {
 	switch node.Kind {
 	case yaml.MappingNode:
-		// NOTE(@andreynering): on this style of custom unmarshalling,
+		// NOTE(@andreynering): on this style of custom unmarshaling,
 		// even number contains the keys, while odd numbers contains
 		// the values.
 		for i := 0; i < len(node.Content); i += 2 {
 			keyNode := node.Content[i]
 			valueNode := node.Content[i+1]
 
+			// Ensure the include value is not null, as it must be either a string or an include object.
+			if valueNode.Kind == yaml.ScalarNode && valueNode.Tag == "!!null" {
+				return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(nil, valueNode).WithMessage("value of the include cannot be null")
+			}
+
 			var v Include
 			if err := valueNode.Decode(&v); err != nil {
 				return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(err, node)
@@ -67,18 +72,20 @@ func (includes *Includes) Range(f func(k string, v *Include) error) error {
 
 func (include *Include) UnmarshalYAML(node *yaml.Node) error {
 	switch node.Kind {
-
 	case yaml.ScalarNode:
 		var str string
 		if err := node.Decode(&str); err != nil {
 			return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(err, node)
 		}
+		if str == "" {
+			return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(nil, node).WithMessage("taskfile of the include cannot be empty")
+		}
 		include.Taskfile = str
 		return nil
 
 	case yaml.MappingNode:
 		var includedTaskfile struct {
-			Taskfile string
+			Taskfile *string
 			Dir      string
 			Optional bool
 			Internal bool
@@ -89,7 +96,13 @@ func (include *Include) UnmarshalYAML(node *yaml.Node) error {
 		if err := node.Decode(&includedTaskfile); err != nil {
 			return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(err, node)
 		}
-		include.Taskfile = includedTaskfile.Taskfile
+		if includedTaskfile.Taskfile == nil {
+			return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(nil, node).WithMessage("taskfile field in the include cannot be null")
+		}
+		if *includedTaskfile.Taskfile == "" {
+			return errors.NewTaskfileDecodeError(nil, node).WithMessage("taskfile field in the include cannot be empty")
+		}
+		include.Taskfile = *includedTaskfile.Taskfile
 		include.Dir = includedTaskfile.Dir
 		include.Optional = includedTaskfile.Optional
 		include.Internal = includedTaskfile.Internal
diff --git a/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_empty_taskfile/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_empty_taskfile/Taskfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a4d25a185c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_empty_taskfile/Taskfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+version: '3'
+
+includes:
+  included:
+    taskfile: ''
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - task: included:default
diff --git a/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_empty_value/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_empty_value/Taskfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..1f9fac9d8a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_empty_value/Taskfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+version: '3'
+
+includes:
+  included: ''
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - task: included:default
diff --git a/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_missing_taskfile/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_missing_taskfile/Taskfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ddb86f0229
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_missing_taskfile/Taskfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+version: '3'
+
+includes:
+  included:
+    dir: '.'
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - task: included:default
diff --git a/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_null_taskfile/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_null_taskfile/Taskfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d8d32fd855
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_null_taskfile/Taskfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+version: '3'
+
+includes:
+  included:
+    taskfile: null
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - task: included:default
diff --git a/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_null_value/Taskfile.yml b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_null_value/Taskfile.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b5344e6328
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testdata/includes_invalid_taskfile/include_null_value/Taskfile.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+version: '3'
+
+includes:
+  included: null
+
+tasks:
+  default:
+    cmds:
+      - task: included:default
diff --git a/website/static/schema.json b/website/static/schema.json
index b2b2d875aa..2f605b426b 100644
--- a/website/static/schema.json
+++ b/website/static/schema.json
@@ -614,14 +614,16 @@
             "^.*$": {
               "anyOf": [
                 {
-                  "type": "string"
+                  "type": "string",
+                  "minLength": 1
                 },
                 {
                   "type": "object",
                   "properties": {
                     "taskfile": {
                       "description": "The path for the Taskfile or directory to be included. If a directory, Task will look for files named `Taskfile.yml` or `Taskfile.yaml` inside that directory. If a relative path, resolved relative to the directory containing the including Taskfile.",
-                      "type": "string"
+                      "type": "string",
+                      "minLength": 1
                     },
                     "dir": {
                       "description": "The working directory of the included tasks when run.",
@@ -650,7 +652,8 @@
                       "description": "A set of variables to apply to the included Taskfile.",
                       "$ref": "#/definitions/vars"
                     }
-                  }
+                  },
+                  "required": ["taskfile"]
                 }
               ]
             }