diff --git a/exercises/practice/series/.meta/example.rb b/exercises/practice/series/.meta/example.rb
index d93923d611..dfca6db15a 100644
--- a/exercises/practice/series/.meta/example.rb
+++ b/exercises/practice/series/.meta/example.rb
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 class Series
   def initialize(series)
+    raise ArgumentError if series.length.zero?
     @series = series
   end
   def slices(n)
diff --git a/exercises/practice/series/series_test.rb b/exercises/practice/series/series_test.rb
index 759b5c5288..f93e624068 100644
--- a/exercises/practice/series/series_test.rb
+++ b/exercises/practice/series/series_test.rb
@@ -68,9 +68,8 @@ def test_slice_length_cannot_be_negative
   def test_empty_series_is_invalid
     skip
     slice_string = ""
-    series = Series.new(slice_string)
     assert_raises ArgumentError do
-      series.slices(1)
+      Series.new(slice_string)
     end
   end
 end