diff --git a/plugins/libplugin-pay.c b/plugins/libplugin-pay.c
index ad1c1fec6..bfc73ddd5 100644
--- a/plugins/libplugin-pay.c
+++ b/plugins/libplugin-pay.c
@@ -807,6 +807,12 @@ static struct command_result *payment_getroute(struct payment *p)
 	p->step = PAYMENT_STEP_GOT_ROUTE;
 	p->route = route_hops_from_route(p, p, r);
 
+	if (tal_count(p->route) == 0) {
+		payment_root(p)->abort = true;
+		payment_fail(p, "Empty route returned by getroute, are you "
+				"trying to pay yourself?");
+	}
+
 	fee = payment_route_fee(p);
 
 	/* Ensure that our fee and CLTV budgets are respected. */
diff --git a/tests/test_pay.py b/tests/test_pay.py
index e44780021..3249e8d0c 100644
--- a/tests/test_pay.py
+++ b/tests/test_pay.py
@@ -4134,7 +4134,6 @@ def test_sendinvoice(node_factory, bitcoind):
                                 'label': 'test sendinvoice refund'})
 
 
-@pytest.mark.xfail(strict=True)
 def test_self_pay(node_factory):
     """Repro test for issue 4345: pay ourselves via the pay plugin.
 
@@ -4142,4 +4141,6 @@ def test_self_pay(node_factory):
     l1, l2 = node_factory.line_graph(2, wait_for_announce=True)
 
     inv = l1.rpc.invoice(10000, 'test', 'test')['bolt11']
-    l1.rpc.pay(inv)
+
+    with pytest.raises(RpcError):
+        l1.rpc.pay(inv)