diff --git a/manim/animation/animation.py b/manim/animation/animation.py
index ddacb37c6c..75629ecb55 100644
--- a/manim/animation/animation.py
+++ b/manim/animation/animation.py
@@ -191,6 +191,10 @@ def begin(self) -> None:
         method.
 
         """
+        if self.run_time <= 0:
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"{self} has a runtime of <= 0 seconds, which cannot be rendered correctly! please set a runtime > 0"
+            )
         self.starting_mobject = self.create_starting_mobject()
         if self.suspend_mobject_updating:
             # All calls to self.mobject's internal updaters
diff --git a/manim/animation/composition.py b/manim/animation/composition.py
index cc6fa2ca7e..20b23d828c 100644
--- a/manim/animation/composition.py
+++ b/manim/animation/composition.py
@@ -81,6 +81,15 @@ def get_all_mobjects(self) -> Sequence[Mobject]:
         return list(self.group)
 
     def begin(self) -> None:
+        if self.run_time <= 0:
+            tmp = (
+                "please set a runtime > 0"
+                if len(self.animations) != 0
+                else "Please add at least one Animation"
+            )
+            raise ValueError(
+                f"{self} has a runtime of 0 seconds. Which cannot be rendered correctly! {tmp}."
+            )
         if self.suspend_mobject_updating:
             self.group.suspend_updating()
         for anim in self.animations:
diff --git a/tests/module/animation/test_composition.py b/tests/module/animation/test_composition.py
index 73cc6b0d60..1f6d6bf5c1 100644
--- a/tests/module/animation/test_composition.py
+++ b/tests/module/animation/test_composition.py
@@ -169,3 +169,13 @@ def test_animationgroup_is_passing_remover_to_nested_animationgroups():
     assert sqr_animation.remover
     assert circ_animation.remover
     assert polygon_animation.remover
+
+
+def test_empty_animation_group_fails():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        AnimationGroup().begin()
+
+
+def test_empty_animation_fails():
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        FadeIn(None, run_time=0).begin()