diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/athena/AddressableLED.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/athena/AddressableLED.cpp
index f1d94974b2..0d9dcc6d77 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/athena/AddressableLED.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/athena/AddressableLED.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 #include "ConstantsInternal.h"
 #include "DigitalInternal.h"
+#include "HALInitializer.h"
 #include "PortsInternal.h"
 #include "hal/ChipObject.h"
 #include "hal/handles/HandlesInternal.h"
@@ -94,11 +95,23 @@ extern "C" {
 
 HAL_AddressableLEDHandle HAL_InitializeAddressableLED(
     HAL_DigitalHandle outputPort, int32_t* status) {
+  hal::init::CheckInit();
+
   auto digitalPort =
       hal::digitalChannelHandles->Get(outputPort, hal::HAL_HandleEnum::PWM);
 
   if (!digitalPort) {
-    *status = HAL_HANDLE_ERROR;
+    // If DIO was passed, channel error, else generic error
+    if (getHandleType(outputPort) == hal::HAL_HandleEnum::DIO) {
+      *status = HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR;
+    } else {
+      *status = HAL_HANDLE_ERROR;
+    }
+    return HAL_kInvalidHandle;
+  }
+
+  if (digitalPort->channel >= kNumPWMHeaders) {
+    *status = HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR;
     return HAL_kInvalidHandle;
   }
 
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp
index 2dedb041f5..91214e538c 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/athena/HAL.cpp
@@ -217,6 +217,8 @@ const char* HAL_GetErrorMessage(int32_t code) {
       return ERR_FRCSystem_NoDSConnection_MESSAGE;
     case HAL_CAN_BUFFER_OVERRUN:
       return HAL_CAN_BUFFER_OVERRUN_MESSAGE;
+    case HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR:
+      return HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR_MESSAGE;
     default:
       return "Unknown error status";
   }
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/Errors.h b/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/Errors.h
index b0b3343fa3..9f74f8ce53 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/Errors.h
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/include/hal/Errors.h
@@ -94,6 +94,10 @@
 #define HAL_HANDLE_ERROR_MESSAGE \
   "HAL: A handle parameter was passed incorrectly"
 
+#define HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR -1099
+#define HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR_MESSAGE \
+  "HAL: Addressable LEDs only supported on PWM Headers, not MXP or DIO"
+
 #define HAL_INVALID_DMA_ADDITION -1102
 #define HAL_INVALID_DMA_ADDITION_MESSAGE \
   "HAL_AddDMA() only works before HAL_StartDMA()"
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/sim/AddressableLED.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/sim/AddressableLED.cpp
index 90dee86841..70d3f6f1ad 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/sim/AddressableLED.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/sim/AddressableLED.cpp
@@ -44,6 +44,24 @@ HAL_AddressableLEDHandle HAL_InitializeAddressableLED(
     HAL_DigitalHandle outputPort, int32_t* status) {
   hal::init::CheckInit();
 
+  auto digitalPort =
+      hal::digitalChannelHandles->Get(outputPort, hal::HAL_HandleEnum::PWM);
+
+  if (!digitalPort) {
+    // If DIO was passed, channel error, else generic error
+    if (getHandleType(outputPort) == hal::HAL_HandleEnum::DIO) {
+      *status = HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR;
+    } else {
+      *status = HAL_HANDLE_ERROR;
+    }
+    return HAL_kInvalidHandle;
+  }
+
+  if (digitalPort->channel >= kNumPWMHeaders) {
+    *status = HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR;
+    return HAL_kInvalidHandle;
+  }
+
   HAL_AddressableLEDHandle handle = ledHandles->Allocate();
   if (handle == HAL_kInvalidHandle) {
     *status = NO_AVAILABLE_RESOURCES;
@@ -57,11 +75,7 @@ HAL_AddressableLEDHandle HAL_InitializeAddressableLED(
   }
 
   int16_t index = getHandleIndex(handle);
-  if (auto port = digitalChannelHandles->Get(outputPort, HAL_HandleEnum::PWM)) {
-    SimAddressableLEDData[index].outputPort = port->channel;
-  } else {
-    SimAddressableLEDData[index].outputPort = -1;
-  }
+  SimAddressableLEDData[index].outputPort = digitalPort->channel;
   SimAddressableLEDData[index].length = 1;
   SimAddressableLEDData[index].running = false;
   SimAddressableLEDData[index].initialized = true;
diff --git a/hal/src/main/native/sim/HAL.cpp b/hal/src/main/native/sim/HAL.cpp
index 6bb43f5b88..0dda617300 100644
--- a/hal/src/main/native/sim/HAL.cpp
+++ b/hal/src/main/native/sim/HAL.cpp
@@ -207,6 +207,8 @@ const char* HAL_GetErrorMessage(int32_t code) {
       return HAL_SIM_NOT_SUPPORTED_MESSAGE;
     case HAL_CAN_BUFFER_OVERRUN:
       return HAL_CAN_BUFFER_OVERRUN_MESSAGE;
+    case HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR:
+      return HAL_LED_CHANNEL_ERROR_MESSAGE;
     default:
       return "Unknown error status";
   }