diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 9f1297d4..2d1d9703 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -552,6 +552,7 @@ Thanks goes to these people ([emoji key][emojis]):
 
 <!-- markdownlint-enable -->
 <!-- prettier-ignore-end -->
+
 <!-- ALL-CONTRIBUTORS-LIST:END -->
 
 This project follows the [all-contributors][all-contributors] specification.
diff --git a/src/__tests__/paste.js b/src/__tests__/paste.js
index 10997c4a..4872c236 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/paste.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/paste.js
@@ -94,3 +94,12 @@ test('should replace selected text all at once', () => {
   userEvent.paste(element, 'friend')
   expect(element).toHaveValue('hello friend')
 })
+
+test('should give error if we are trying to call paste on an invalid element', () => {
+  const {element} = setup('<div  />')
+  expect(() =>
+    userEvent.paste(element, "I'm only a div :("),
+  ).toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(
+    `"the current element is of type DIV and doesn't have a valid value"`,
+  )
+})
diff --git a/src/__tests__/type.js b/src/__tests__/type.js
index 1444656e..f12c10cc 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/type.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/type.js
@@ -706,3 +706,12 @@ test('typing an invalid input value', () => {
   // but the badInput should actually be "true" if the user types "3-3"
   expect(element.validity.badInput).toBe(false)
 })
+
+test('should give error if we are trying to call type on an invalid element', async () => {
+  const {element} = setup('<div  />')
+  await expect(() =>
+    userEvent.type(element, "I'm only a div :("),
+  ).rejects.toThrowErrorMatchingInlineSnapshot(
+    `"the current element is of type BODY and doesn't have a valid value"`,
+  )
+})
diff --git a/src/paste.js b/src/paste.js
index 3306eb50..5c091290 100644
--- a/src/paste.js
+++ b/src/paste.js
@@ -8,7 +8,11 @@ function paste(
   {initialSelectionStart, initialSelectionEnd} = {},
 ) {
   if (element.disabled) return
-
+  if (typeof element.value === 'undefined') {
+    throw new TypeError(
+      `the current element is of type ${element.tagName} and doesn't have a valid value`,
+    )
+  }
   element.focus()
 
   // by default, a new element has it's selection start and end at 0
@@ -30,7 +34,11 @@ function paste(
   fireEvent.paste(element, init)
 
   if (!element.readOnly) {
-    const {newValue, newSelectionStart} = calculateNewValue(text, element)
+    const {newValue, newSelectionStart} = calculateNewValue(
+      text,
+      element,
+      element.value,
+    )
     fireEvent.input(element, {
       inputType: 'insertFromPaste',
       target: {value: newValue},
diff --git a/src/type.js b/src/type.js
index 9a137be3..b3ebb80d 100644
--- a/src/type.js
+++ b/src/type.js
@@ -53,7 +53,16 @@ async function typeImpl(
   // and not just the element if the active element could change while the function
   // is being run (for example, functions that are and/or fire events).
   const currentElement = () => getActiveElement(element.ownerDocument)
-  const currentValue = () => currentElement().value
+  const currentValue = () => {
+    const activeElement = currentElement()
+    const value = activeElement.value
+    if (typeof value === 'undefined') {
+      throw new TypeError(
+        `the current element is of type ${activeElement.tagName} and doesn't have a valid value`,
+      )
+    }
+    return value
+  }
   const setSelectionRange = ({newValue, newSelectionStart}) => {
     // if we *can* change the selection start, then we will if the new value
     // is the same as the current value (so it wasn't programatically changed
@@ -98,6 +107,7 @@ async function typeImpl(
 
   const eventCallbackMap = getEventCallbackMap({
     currentElement,
+    currentValue,
     fireInputEventIfNeeded,
     setSelectionRange,
   })
@@ -212,7 +222,7 @@ async function typeImpl(
         }
 
         const inputEvent = fireInputEventIfNeeded({
-          ...calculateNewValue(newEntry, currentElement()),
+          ...calculateNewValue(newEntry, currentElement(), currentValue()),
           eventOverrides: {
             data: key,
             inputType: 'insertText',
@@ -262,8 +272,8 @@ async function typeImpl(
 // and you may be tempted to create a shared abstraction.
 // If you, brave soul, decide to so endevor, please increment this count
 // when you inevitably fail: 1
-function calculateNewBackspaceValue(element) {
-  const {selectionStart, selectionEnd, value} = element
+function calculateNewBackspaceValue(element, value) {
+  const {selectionStart, selectionEnd} = element
   let newValue, newSelectionStart
 
   if (selectionStart === null) {
@@ -295,8 +305,8 @@ function calculateNewBackspaceValue(element) {
   return {newValue, newSelectionStart}
 }
 
-function calculateNewDeleteValue(element) {
-  const {selectionStart, selectionEnd, value} = element
+function calculateNewDeleteValue(element, value) {
+  const {selectionStart, selectionEnd} = element
   let newValue
 
   if (selectionStart === null) {
@@ -325,6 +335,7 @@ function calculateNewDeleteValue(element) {
 
 function getEventCallbackMap({
   currentElement,
+  currentValue,
   fireInputEventIfNeeded,
   setSelectionRange,
 }) {
@@ -383,6 +394,7 @@ function getEventCallbackMap({
         const {newValue, newSelectionStart} = calculateNewValue(
           '\n',
           currentElement(),
+          currentValue(),
         )
         fireEvent.input(currentElement(), {
           target: {value: newValue},
@@ -432,7 +444,7 @@ function getEventCallbackMap({
 
       if (keyPressDefaultNotPrevented) {
         fireInputEventIfNeeded({
-          ...calculateNewDeleteValue(currentElement()),
+          ...calculateNewDeleteValue(currentElement(), currentValue()),
           eventOverrides: {
             inputType: 'deleteContentForward',
             ...eventOverrides,
@@ -460,7 +472,7 @@ function getEventCallbackMap({
 
       if (keyPressDefaultNotPrevented) {
         fireInputEventIfNeeded({
-          ...calculateNewBackspaceValue(currentElement()),
+          ...calculateNewBackspaceValue(currentElement(), currentValue()),
           eventOverrides: {
             inputType: 'deleteContentBackward',
             ...eventOverrides,
@@ -478,7 +490,7 @@ function getEventCallbackMap({
     // the user can actually select in several different ways
     // we're not going to choose, so we'll *only* set the selection range
     '{selectall}': () => {
-      currentElement().setSelectionRange(0, currentElement().value.length)
+      currentElement().setSelectionRange(0, currentValue().length)
     },
   }
 
diff --git a/src/utils.js b/src/utils.js
index d38745a8..9057126a 100644
--- a/src/utils.js
+++ b/src/utils.js
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ function getActiveElement(document) {
 
 function calculateNewValue(newEntry, element) {
   const {selectionStart, selectionEnd, value} = element
+
   // can't use .maxLength property because of a jsdom bug:
   // https://github.com/jsdom/jsdom/issues/2927
   const maxLength = Number(element.getAttribute('maxlength') ?? -1)