diff --git a/errors/parameter_errors.go b/errors/parameter_errors.go
index 48ee25a..aa870c9 100644
--- a/errors/parameter_errors.go
+++ b/errors/parameter_errors.go
@@ -470,6 +470,31 @@ func IncorrectCookieParamArrayNumber(
 	}
 }
 
+func QueryParameterCannotBeDecoded(param *v3.Parameter, val string, sch *base.Schema, pathTemplate string, operation string, renderedSchema string) *ValidationError {
+	keywordLocation := helpers.ConstructParameterJSONPointer(pathTemplate, operation, param.Name, "type")
+	specLine, specCol := paramSchemaTypeLineCol(param)
+
+	return &ValidationError{
+		ValidationType:    helpers.ParameterValidation,
+		ValidationSubType: helpers.ParameterValidationQuery,
+		Message:           fmt.Sprintf("Query parameter '%s' cannot be decoded", param.Name),
+		Reason: fmt.Sprintf("The query parameter '%s' is defined as an object, "+
+			"however the value '%s' cannot be decoded as an object", param.Name, val),
+		SpecLine:      specLine,
+		SpecCol:       specCol,
+		ParameterName: param.Name,
+		Context:       sch,
+		HowToFix:      HowToFixInvalidEncoding,
+		SchemaValidationErrors: []*SchemaValidationFailure{{
+			Reason:          fmt.Sprintf("Query value '%s' cannot be decoded as object", val),
+			FieldName:       param.Name,
+			InstancePath:    []string{param.Name},
+			KeywordLocation: keywordLocation,
+			ReferenceSchema: renderedSchema,
+		}},
+	}
+}
+
 func IncorrectParamEncodingJSON(param *v3.Parameter, ef string, sch *base.Schema, pathTemplate string, operation string, renderedSchema string) *ValidationError {
 	escapedPath := strings.ReplaceAll(pathTemplate, "~", "~0")
 	escapedPath = strings.ReplaceAll(escapedPath, "/", "~1")
diff --git a/parameters/query_parameters.go b/parameters/query_parameters.go
index 5b24d6d..b775ffb 100644
--- a/parameters/query_parameters.go
+++ b/parameters/query_parameters.go
@@ -197,9 +197,27 @@ doneLooking:
 									}
 								}
 
+								if encodedObj == nil {
+									validationErrors = append(validationErrors,
+										errors.QueryParameterCannotBeDecoded(params[p], ef, sch, pathValue, operation, renderedSchema))
+									break skipValues
+								}
+								objVal, objExists := encodedObj[params[p].Name]
+								if !objExists || objVal == nil {
+									validationErrors = append(validationErrors,
+										errors.QueryParameterCannotBeDecoded(params[p], ef, sch, pathValue, operation, renderedSchema))
+									break skipValues
+								}
+								objMap, mapOk := objVal.(map[string]interface{})
+								if !mapOk {
+									validationErrors = append(validationErrors,
+										errors.QueryParameterCannotBeDecoded(params[p], ef, sch, pathValue, operation, renderedSchema))
+									break skipValues
+								}
+
 								numErrors := len(validationErrors)
 								validationErrors = append(validationErrors,
-									ValidateParameterSchema(sch, encodedObj[params[p].Name].(map[string]interface{}),
+									ValidateParameterSchema(sch, objMap,
 										ef,
 										"Query parameter",
 										"The query parameter",
diff --git a/parameters/query_parameters_test.go b/parameters/query_parameters_test.go
index 1bc9ca7..f6289e2 100644
--- a/parameters/query_parameters_test.go
+++ b/parameters/query_parameters_test.go
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 
 	"github.com/pb33f/libopenapi-validator/config"
+	liberrors "github.com/pb33f/libopenapi-validator/errors"
 	"github.com/pb33f/libopenapi-validator/paths"
 )
 
@@ -4140,3 +4141,83 @@ paths:
 	assert.True(t, valid, "issue #91: item_count=10 with type: string should not fail with 'expected string, but got number'")
 	assert.Empty(t, errors)
 }
+
+func TestQueryParamObjectMissingKey_NoPanic(t *testing.T) {
+	// A content-wrapped object parameter with a non-JSON content type cannot
+	// be decoded into a map.  The validator must not panic AND must report a
+	// validation error (the parameter is present but unsatisfiable).
+	spec := `openapi: 3.1.0
+paths:
+  /test:
+    get:
+      parameters:
+        - name: filter
+          in: query
+          required: false
+          content:
+            text/plain:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  color:
+                    type: string
+      operationId: testFilter
+`
+
+	doc, err := libopenapi.NewDocument([]byte(spec))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	m, errs := doc.BuildV3Model()
+	require.NoError(t, errs)
+
+	v := NewParameterValidator(&m.Model)
+
+	request, _ := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, "https://example.com/test?filter=color,blue", nil)
+
+	var valid bool
+	var valErrors []*liberrors.ValidationError
+	assert.NotPanics(t, func() {
+		valid, valErrors = v.ValidateQueryParams(request)
+	})
+
+	assert.False(t, valid, "parameter present but not decodable as object should be invalid")
+	require.Len(t, valErrors, 1)
+	assert.Equal(t, "Query parameter 'filter' cannot be decoded", valErrors[0].Message)
+}
+
+func TestQueryParamObjectContentJSON_ValidObject(t *testing.T) {
+	// A content-wrapped JSON parameter with a valid JSON object should validate
+	// successfully against the schema.
+	spec := `openapi: 3.1.0
+paths:
+  /test:
+    get:
+      parameters:
+        - name: filter
+          in: query
+          required: false
+          content:
+            application/json:
+              schema:
+                type: object
+                properties:
+                  color:
+                    type: string
+      operationId: testFilter
+`
+
+	doc, err := libopenapi.NewDocument([]byte(spec))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	m, errs := doc.BuildV3Model()
+	require.NoError(t, errs)
+
+	v := NewParameterValidator(&m.Model)
+
+	request, _ := http.NewRequest(http.MethodGet, `https://example.com/test?filter={"color":"blue"}`, nil)
+
+	valid, valErrors := v.ValidateQueryParams(request)
+
+	assert.True(t, valid, "valid JSON object should pass validation")
+	assert.Empty(t, valErrors)
+}