diff --git a/runtime/executor/method_meta.cpp b/runtime/executor/method_meta.cpp
index 79aa681134f..400dfda9d0e 100644
--- a/runtime/executor/method_meta.cpp
+++ b/runtime/executor/method_meta.cpp
@@ -539,7 +539,13 @@ Result<const char*> MethodMeta::get_backend_name(size_t index) const {
       "Index %zu out of range. num_backends: %zu",
       index,
       count);
-  return s_plan_->delegates()->Get(index)->id()->c_str();
+  const auto delegate = s_plan_->delegates()->Get(index);
+  ET_CHECK_OR_RETURN_ERROR(
+      delegate != nullptr && delegate->id() != nullptr,
+      InvalidProgram,
+      "Missing backend id at index %zu",
+      index);
+  return delegate->id()->c_str();
 }
 
 size_t MethodMeta::num_instructions() const {
diff --git a/runtime/executor/test/method_meta_test.cpp b/runtime/executor/test/method_meta_test.cpp
index fb05f7dfd56..700a0e20691 100644
--- a/runtime/executor/test/method_meta_test.cpp
+++ b/runtime/executor/test/method_meta_test.cpp
@@ -284,10 +284,13 @@ TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, MethodMetaBufferDeviceReturnsCudaForDeviceBuffer) {
       Error::InvalidArgument);
 }
 
-TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, UsesBackendOnUnsetDelegatesReturnsFalse) {
-  // Construct a minimal schema-valid FlatBuffer program where delegates is
-  // unset (nullptr).
-  flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder fbb;
+// Builds a minimal schema-valid FlatBuffer program whose "forward" plan has
+// `delegates`, which may be null to leave them unset.
+std::vector<uint8_t> program_with_delegates(
+    flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder& fbb,
+    const std::vector<
+        flatbuffers::Offset<executorch_flatbuffer::BackendDelegate>>*
+        delegates) {
   std::vector<int32_t> empty_inputs = {};
   std::vector<int32_t> empty_outputs = {};
   std::vector<int64_t> non_const_buffer_sizes = {0};
@@ -300,7 +303,7 @@ TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, UsesBackendOnUnsetDelegatesReturnsFalse) {
       /*outputs=*/&empty_outputs,
       /*chains=*/nullptr,
       /*operators=*/nullptr,
-      /*delegates=*/nullptr,
+      /*delegates=*/delegates,
       /*non_const_buffer_sizes=*/&non_const_buffer_sizes,
       /*non_const_buffer_device=*/nullptr);
   std::vector<flatbuffers::Offset<executorch_flatbuffer::ExecutionPlan>> plans =
@@ -328,6 +331,13 @@ TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, UsesBackendOnUnsetDelegatesReturnsFalse) {
   if (buffer.size() < Program::kMinHeadBytes) {
     buffer.resize(Program::kMinHeadBytes, 0);
   }
+  return buffer;
+}
+
+TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, UsesBackendOnUnsetDelegatesReturnsFalse) {
+  flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder fbb;
+  std::vector<uint8_t> buffer =
+      program_with_delegates(fbb, /*delegates=*/nullptr);
 
   BufferDataLoader loader(buffer.data(), buffer.size());
   Result<Program> prog = Program::load(&loader, Program::Verification::Minimal);
@@ -338,3 +348,20 @@ TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, UsesBackendOnUnsetDelegatesReturnsFalse) {
 
   EXPECT_FALSE(method_meta->uses_backend("xnnpack"));
 }
+
+TEST_F(MethodMetaTest, GetBackendNameOfDelegateWithoutIdReturnsError) {
+  flatbuffers::FlatBufferBuilder fbb;
+  std::vector<flatbuffers::Offset<executorch_flatbuffer::BackendDelegate>>
+      delegates = {executorch_flatbuffer::CreateBackendDelegate(fbb)};
+  std::vector<uint8_t> buffer = program_with_delegates(fbb, &delegates);
+
+  BufferDataLoader loader(buffer.data(), buffer.size());
+  Result<Program> prog = Program::load(&loader, Program::Verification::Minimal);
+  ASSERT_EQ(prog.error(), Error::Ok);
+
+  Result<MethodMeta> method_meta = prog->method_meta("forward");
+  ASSERT_EQ(method_meta.error(), Error::Ok);
+
+  ASSERT_EQ(method_meta->num_backends(), 1);
+  EXPECT_EQ(method_meta->get_backend_name(0).error(), Error::InvalidProgram);
+}