diff --git a/src/menu/doommenu.cpp b/src/menu/doommenu.cpp
index 7fec2e5fd9..24fb66cfbb 100644
--- a/src/menu/doommenu.cpp
+++ b/src/menu/doommenu.cpp
@@ -1304,7 +1304,17 @@ void SetDefaultMenuColors()
 	OptionSettings.mFontColorHighlight = V_FindFontColor(gameinfo.mFontColorHighlight);
 	OptionSettings.mFontColorSelection = V_FindFontColor(gameinfo.mFontColorSelection);
 
-	auto cls = PClass::FindClass(gameinfo.MenuDelegateClass);
+	auto cls = PClass::FindClass(gameinfo.HelpMenuClass);
+	if (!cls)
+		I_FatalError("%s: Undefined help menu class", gameinfo.HelpMenuClass.GetChars());
+	if (!cls->IsDescendantOf(RUNTIME_CLASS(DMenu)))
+		I_FatalError("'%s' does not inherit from Menu", gameinfo.HelpMenuClass.GetChars());
+
+	cls = PClass::FindClass(gameinfo.MenuDelegateClass);
+	if (!cls)
+		I_FatalError("%s: Undefined menu delegate class", gameinfo.HelpMenuClass.GetChars());
+	if (!cls->IsDescendantOf("MenuDelegateBase"))
+		I_FatalError("'%s' does not inherit from MenuDelegateBase", gameinfo.MenuDelegateClass.GetChars());
 	menuDelegate = cls->CreateNew();
 }