diff --git a/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_http_api_plugin.py b/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_http_api_plugin.py
index 3f8849dbc..83c078ea1 100644
--- a/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_http_api_plugin.py
+++ b/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_http_api_plugin.py
@@ -57,6 +57,13 @@ def _process_api_events(self, function, api_events, template, condition=None):
         for logicalId, event in api_events.items():
             # api_events only contains HttpApi events
             event_properties = event.get("Properties", {})
+
+            if event_properties and not isinstance(event_properties, dict):
+                raise InvalidEventException(
+                    logicalId,
+                    "Event 'Properties' must be an Object. If you're using YAML, this may be an indentation issue.",
+                )
+
             if not event_properties:
                 event["Properties"] = event_properties
             self._add_implicit_api_id_if_necessary(event_properties)
diff --git a/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_rest_api_plugin.py b/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_rest_api_plugin.py
index 3a6461928..92ecf8d86 100644
--- a/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_rest_api_plugin.py
+++ b/samtranslator/plugins/api/implicit_rest_api_plugin.py
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ def _process_api_events(self, function, api_events, template, condition=None):
             if not event_properties:
                 continue
 
+            if not isinstance(event_properties, dict):
+                raise InvalidEventException(
+                    logicalId,
+                    "Event 'Properties' must be an Object. If you're using YAML, this may be an indentation issue.",
+                )
+
             self._add_implicit_api_id_if_necessary(event_properties)
 
             api_id = self._get_api_id(event_properties)
diff --git a/tests/translator/input/error_function_invalid_api_event.yaml b/tests/translator/input/error_function_invalid_api_event.yaml
index 98b7aa5f0..03a98c2a0 100644
--- a/tests/translator/input/error_function_invalid_api_event.yaml
+++ b/tests/translator/input/error_function_invalid_api_event.yaml
@@ -1,4 +1,15 @@
 Resources:
+  FunctionApiInvalidProperties:
+    Type: 'AWS::Serverless::Function'
+    Properties:
+      CodeUri: s3://sam-demo-bucket/hello.zip
+      Handler: hello.handler
+      Runtime: python2.7
+      Events:
+        ApiEvent:
+          Type: Api
+          Properties: '/hello' # NOTE: Should be an object no a string
+
   FunctionApiNoMethod:
     Type: 'AWS::Serverless::Function'
     Properties:
diff --git a/tests/translator/input/error_implicit_http_api_properties.yaml b/tests/translator/input/error_implicit_http_api_properties.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..33770f00d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/translator/input/error_implicit_http_api_properties.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+Resources:
+  HttpApiFunction:
+    Type: AWS::Serverless::Function
+    Properties:
+      CodeUri: s3://sam-demo-bucket/todo_list.zip
+      Handler: index.restapi
+      Runtime: nodejs12.x
+      Policies: AmazonDynamoDBFullAccess
+      Events:
+        Basic:
+          Type: HttpApi
+          Properties: /basic
diff --git a/tests/translator/output/error_function_invalid_api_event.json b/tests/translator/output/error_function_invalid_api_event.json
index 01b123ed8..48027216a 100644
--- a/tests/translator/output/error_function_invalid_api_event.json
+++ b/tests/translator/output/error_function_invalid_api_event.json
@@ -4,5 +4,5 @@
       "errorMessage": "Resource with id [FunctionApiNoMethod] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Event is missing key 'Path'."
     }
   ], 
-  "errorMessage": "Invalid Serverless Application Specification document. Number of errors found: 4. Resource with id [FunctionApiMethodArray] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Api Event must have a String specified for 'Method'. Resource with id [FunctionApiNoMethod] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Event is missing key 'Method'. Resource with id [FunctionApiNoPath] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Event is missing key 'Path'. Resource with id [FunctionApiPathArray] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Api Event must have a String specified for 'Path'."
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+  "errorMessage": "Invalid Serverless Application Specification document. Number of errors found: 5. Resource with id [FunctionApiInvalidProperties] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Event 'Properties' must be an Object. If you're using YAML, this may be an indentation issue. Resource with id [FunctionApiMethodArray] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Api Event must have a String specified for 'Method'. Resource with id [FunctionApiNoMethod] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Event is missing key 'Method'. Resource with id [FunctionApiNoPath] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Event is missing key 'Path'. Resource with id [FunctionApiPathArray] is invalid. Event with id [ApiEvent] is invalid. Api Event must have a String specified for 'Path'."
+}
diff --git a/tests/translator/output/error_implicit_http_api_properties.json b/tests/translator/output/error_implicit_http_api_properties.json
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..833d80e03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/translator/output/error_implicit_http_api_properties.json
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+{
+  "errors": [
+    {
+      "errorMessage": "Resource with id [HttpApiFunction] is invalid. Event with id [Basic] is invalid. Event 'Properties' must be an Object. If you're using YAML, this may be an indentation issue."
+    }
+  ],
+  "errorMessage": "Invalid Serverless Application Specification document. Number of errors found: 1. Resource with id [HttpApiFunction] is invalid. Event with id [Basic] is invalid. Event 'Properties' must be an Object. If you're using YAML, this may be an indentation issue."
+}
diff --git a/tests/translator/test_translator.py b/tests/translator/test_translator.py
index 07f201602..541fbaf62 100644
--- a/tests/translator/test_translator.py
+++ b/tests/translator/test_translator.py
@@ -675,6 +675,7 @@ def _generate_new_deployment_hash(self, logical_id, dict_to_hash, rest_api_to_sw
         "error_http_api_invalid_openapi",
         "error_http_api_tags",
         "error_http_api_tags_def_uri",
+        "error_implicit_http_api_properties",
         "error_implicit_http_api_method",
         "error_implicit_http_api_path",
         "error_http_api_event_multiple_same_path",