diff --git a/app/models/ci/runner.rb b/app/models/ci/runner.rb
index 23078f1c3ed..ed8b30dae49 100644
--- a/app/models/ci/runner.rb
+++ b/app/models/ci/runner.rb
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ module Ci
     validate :tag_constraints
     validate :either_projects_or_group
     validates :access_level, presence: true
+    validates :runner_type, presence: true
 
     acts_as_taggable
 
diff --git a/spec/models/ci/runner_spec.rb b/spec/models/ci/runner_spec.rb
index fa9dff1c0f1..eb59ba7cbe9 100644
--- a/spec/models/ci/runner_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ci/runner_spec.rb
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ require 'spec_helper'
 describe Ci::Runner do
   describe 'validation' do
     it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:access_level) }
+    it { is_expected.to validate_presence_of(:runner_type) }
 
     context 'when runner is not allowed to pick untagged jobs' do
       context 'when runner does not have tags' do