diff --git a/src/model.js b/src/model.js
index 5db70c7a..b00871b0 100644
--- a/src/model.js
+++ b/src/model.js
@@ -96,8 +96,7 @@ my.Field = Backbone.Model.extend({
   initialize: function(data) {
     // if a hash not passed in the first argument is set as value for key 0
     if ('0' in data) {
-      this.set({id: data['0']});
-      this.unset('0');
+      throw new Error('Looks like you did not pass a proper hash with id to Field constructor');
     }
     if (this.attributes.label == null) {
       this.set({label: this.id});
diff --git a/test/model.test.js b/test/model.test.js
index 41d50ab4..a4773dd3 100644
--- a/test/model.test.js
+++ b/test/model.test.js
@@ -13,10 +13,11 @@ test('Field: basics', function () {
   });
   equal(field.attributes.label, 'My label', 'Field label should be set from id but not if explicitly provided');
 
-  var field = new recline.Model.Field('x');
-  equal(field.id, 'x', 'Set of id from single argumentst to ctor');
-  equal(field.attributes.id, 'x', 'Set of id from single argumentst to ctor');
-  ok(!('0' in field.toJSON()), 'Should have removed artificially created 0 key in attributes');
+  raises(function() {
+      var field = new recline.Model.Field('xxx');
+    },
+    'should throw an error if not passed in a hash with id'
+  );
 });
 
 })(this.jQuery);