diff --git a/src/canopy/canopy.fs b/src/canopy/canopy.fs
index 4ef6b7c3..6290a512 100644
--- a/src/canopy/canopy.fs
+++ b/src/canopy/canopy.fs
@@ -941,7 +941,10 @@ let on (u: string) =
         | ex -> if browser.Url.Contains(u) = false then raise (CanopyOnException(sprintf "on check failed, expected expression '%s' got %s" u browser.Url))
 
 (* documented/actions *)
-let ( !^ ) (u : string) = browser.Navigate().GoToUrl(u)
+let ( !^ ) (u : string) =
+    if browser == null then
+        raise (CanopyOnException "Can't navigate to the given url since the browser is not initialized.")
+    browser.Navigate().GoToUrl(u)
 
 (* documented/actions *)
 let url u = !^ u
@@ -1039,4 +1042,4 @@ let skip message =
 
 (* documented/actions *)
 let waitForElement cssSelector =
-    waitFor (fun _ -> someElement cssSelector |> Option.isSome)
\ No newline at end of file
+    waitFor (fun _ -> someElement cssSelector |> Option.isSome)