diff --git a/src/documents/serialisers.py b/src/documents/serialisers.py
index ca850e84f..1a491c5a4 100644
--- a/src/documents/serialisers.py
+++ b/src/documents/serialisers.py
@@ -1969,6 +1969,8 @@ class BulkEditSerializer(
         return ownerUser
 
     def _validate_parameters_set_permissions(self, parameters) -> None:
+        if "set_permissions" not in parameters:
+            raise serializers.ValidationError("set_permissions not specified")
         parameters["set_permissions"] = self.validate_set_permissions(
             parameters["set_permissions"],
         )
diff --git a/src/documents/tests/test_api_bulk_edit.py b/src/documents/tests/test_api_bulk_edit.py
index dd62f0c74..fd202a04a 100644
--- a/src/documents/tests/test_api_bulk_edit.py
+++ b/src/documents/tests/test_api_bulk_edit.py
@@ -1068,6 +1068,30 @@ class TestBulkEditAPI(DirectoriesMixin, APITestCase):
         self.assertCountEqual(args[0], [self.doc2.id, self.doc3.id])
         self.assertEqual(len(kwargs["set_permissions"]["view"]["users"]), 2)
 
+    @mock.patch("documents.serialisers.bulk_edit.set_permissions")
+    def test_set_permissions_requires_set_permissions_parameter(self, m) -> None:
+        self.setup_mock(m, "set_permissions")
+
+        response = self.client.post(
+            "/api/documents/bulk_edit/",
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "documents": [self.doc2.id],
+                    "method": "set_permissions",
+                    "parameters": {
+                        "owner": self.user.id,
+                        "merge": True,
+                        "permissions": {"view": {"users": [self.user.id]}},
+                    },
+                },
+            ),
+            content_type="application/json",
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST)
+        self.assertIn(b"set_permissions not specified", response.content)
+        m.assert_not_called()
+
     @mock.patch("documents.serialisers.bulk_edit.set_permissions")
     def test_set_permissions_merge(self, m) -> None:
         self.setup_mock(m, "set_permissions")