diff --git a/map/validations/validations.js b/map/validations/validations.js
index 594d84a5926..417f5c856d5 100644
--- a/map/validations/validations.js
+++ b/map/validations/validations.js
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@ steal('can/util', 'can/map', function (can) {
 							errors[attr].push(res);
 						}
 					});
-				}, validations = this.constructor.validations,
+				}, validations = this.constructor.validations || {},
 				isTest = attrs && attrs.length === 1 && arguments.length === 2;
 			// go through each attribute or validation and
 			// add any errors
-			can.each(attrs || validations || {}, function (funcs, attr) {
+			can.each(attrs || validations, function (funcs, attr) {
 				// if we are iterating through an array, use funcs
 				// as the attr name
 				if (typeof attr === 'number') {
diff --git a/map/validations/validations_test.js b/map/validations/validations_test.js
index 7de360e8016..e4b87f43918 100644
--- a/map/validations/validations_test.js
+++ b/map/validations/validations_test.js
@@ -343,4 +343,8 @@ steal("can/map/validations", "can/compute", "can/test", function () {
 		task.attr('age', 'bad');
 		task.attr('age', 'still bad');
 	});
+	test('Validate undefined property', function () {
+		new can.Map().errors( "foo" );
+		ok(true, "does not throw" );
+	});
 });