diff --git a/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding.go b/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding.go
index 53ebbb456bc..21d1e634068 100644
--- a/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding.go
+++ b/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding.go
@@ -22,6 +22,14 @@ func (fi Forwarding) Validate() error {
 		return errorsmod.Wrapf(ErrInvalidForwarding, "number of hops in forwarding path cannot exceed %d", MaximumNumberOfForwardingHops)
 	}
 
+	if len(fi.Memo) > MaximumMemoLength {
+		return errorsmod.Wrapf(ErrInvalidMemo, "memo length cannot exceed %d", MaximumMemoLength)
+	}
+
+	if len(fi.Hops) == 0 && fi.Memo != "" {
+		return errorsmod.Wrap(ErrInvalidForwarding, "memo specified when forwarding hops is empty")
+	}
+
 	for _, hop := range fi.Hops {
 		if err := host.PortIdentifierValidator(hop.PortId); err != nil {
 			return errorsmod.Wrapf(err, "invalid source port ID %s", hop.PortId)
@@ -31,9 +39,5 @@ func (fi Forwarding) Validate() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if len(fi.Memo) > MaximumMemoLength {
-		return errorsmod.Wrapf(ErrInvalidMemo, "memo length cannot exceed %d", MaximumMemoLength)
-	}
-
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding_test.go b/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding_test.go
index fd1df5ea05b..d9283164cf7 100644
--- a/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding_test.go
+++ b/modules/apps/transfer/types/forwarding_test.go
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ func TestForwarding_Validate(t *testing.T) {
 			types.NewForwarding(ibctesting.GenerateString(types.MaximumMemoLength+1), validHop),
 			types.ErrInvalidMemo,
 		},
+		{
+			"invalid forwarding with empty hops and specified memo",
+			types.NewForwarding("memo"),
+			types.ErrInvalidForwarding,
+		},
 		{
 			"invalid forwarding with too short hop port ID",
 			types.NewForwarding(