diff --git a/backends/ezdxf_backend.py b/backends/ezdxf_backend.py
index 73f9acd..2e49151 100644
--- a/backends/ezdxf_backend.py
+++ b/backends/ezdxf_backend.py
@@ -4453,6 +4453,13 @@ class EzdxfBackend(AutoCADBackend):
             }
             if layer:
                 attribs["layer"] = layer
+            # `add_blockref` never checks the name, and `add_auto_attribs`
+            # silently skips autofill when `Insert.block()` resolves to None,
+            # so a typo'd name used to yield a dangling INSERT that dropped its
+            # attribute values and that `doc.audit()` later deletes. Refuse
+            # before writing, as COM's `InsertBlock` does for an unknown name.
+            if name not in self._doc.blocks:
+                raise ValueError(f"block {name!r} is not defined")
             ref = msp.add_blockref(name, (float(x), float(y)), dxfattribs=attribs)
             if attributes:
                 # `add_auto_blockref` wraps the INSERT in an anonymous *U block,
diff --git a/tests/test_block_insert_attributes.py b/tests/test_block_insert_attributes.py
index b334f8f..59a69f7 100644
--- a/tests/test_block_insert_attributes.py
+++ b/tests/test_block_insert_attributes.py
@@ -41,3 +41,15 @@ async def test_insert_without_attributes_is_unchanged(backend):
     info = await backend.entity_get(ref.handle)
     assert info.properties["block_name"] == "TB"
     assert await backend.block_get_attributes(ref.handle) == {}
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("attributes", [{"TAG": "P-101"}, None], ids=["with-attrs", "no-attrs"])
+async def test_insert_of_undefined_block_is_refused_before_writing(backend, attributes):
+    # `add_blockref` never checks the name and `add_auto_attribs` skips autofill
+    # when the definition is missing, so a typo'd name used to return a handle
+    # whose attribute values were dropped and which `doc.audit()` later deletes.
+    before = len(list(backend._msp()))
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError, match="'NO_SUCH_BLOCK' is not defined"):
+        await backend.block_insert("NO_SUCH_BLOCK", 5, 5, attributes=attributes)
+    assert len(list(backend._msp())) == before, "a refused insert must not write"
+    assert [b.name for b in backend._doc.blocks if b.name == "NO_SUCH_BLOCK"] == []