diff --git a/lib/tasks/dial.js b/lib/tasks/dial.js
index d4f2e133..693dfc89 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/dial.js
+++ b/lib/tasks/dial.js
@@ -252,7 +252,12 @@ class TaskDial extends Task {
       this.logger.debug({callSid: this.cs.callSid}, 'Dial:exec task is done, sending actionHook if any');
       if (this.actionHook) hookAttempted = true;
       else this._endSessionUnlessHandedOff(cs, 'dial completed with no actionHook');
-      await this.performAction(this.results, this.killReason !== KillReason.Replaced);
+      const gotVerbs = await this.performAction(this.results, this.killReason !== KillReason.Replaced);
+      /* hook answered but with nothing usable: empty array, a non-array body, or a
+         non-json content-type, none of which throw */
+      if (hookAttempted && gotVerbs === false) {
+        this._endSessionUnlessHandedOff(cs, 'dial actionHook returned no verbs');
+      }
       this._removeDtmfDetection(cs.dlg);
       this._removeDtmfDetection(this.dlg);
       this._removeSipIndialogRequestListener(this.dlg);