diff --git a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs
index 50b318402a..8ac795bfb5 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/src/filters/headers.rs
@@ -122,20 +122,42 @@ fn replace_headers(value: Value, headers: &[String]) -> Result<Value, ShellError
     }
 }
 
+fn is_valid_header(value: &Value) -> bool {
+    matches!(
+        value,
+        Value::Nothing { span: _ }
+            | Value::String { val: _, span: _ }
+            | Value::Bool { val: _, span: _ }
+            | Value::Float { val: _, span: _ }
+            | Value::Int { val: _, span: _ }
+    )
+}
+
 fn extract_headers(value: &Value, config: &Config) -> Result<Vec<String>, ShellError> {
     match value {
-        Value::Record { vals, .. } => Ok(vals
-            .iter()
-            .enumerate()
-            .map(|(idx, value)| {
-                let col = value.into_string("", config);
-                if col.is_empty() {
-                    format!("column{}", idx)
-                } else {
-                    col
+        Value::Record { vals, .. } => {
+            for v in vals {
+                if !is_valid_header(v) {
+                    return Err(ShellError::TypeMismatch(
+                        "compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int".to_string(),
+                        v.span()?,
+                    ));
                 }
-            })
-            .collect::<Vec<String>>()),
+            }
+
+            Ok(vals
+                .iter()
+                .enumerate()
+                .map(|(idx, value)| {
+                    let col = value.into_string("", config);
+                    if col.is_empty() {
+                        format!("column{}", idx)
+                    } else {
+                        col
+                    }
+                })
+                .collect::<Vec<String>>())
+        }
         Value::List { vals, span } => vals
             .iter()
             .map(|value| extract_headers(value, config))
diff --git a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/headers.rs b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/headers.rs
index 717bdc649b..c7c9725f83 100644
--- a/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/headers.rs
+++ b/crates/nu-command/tests/commands/headers.rs
@@ -29,3 +29,87 @@ fn headers_adds_missing_column_name() {
 
     assert_eq!(actual.out, r#"["r1c1","r2c1"]"#)
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn headers_invalid_column_type_empty_record() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            [[a b]; [{}, 2], [3,4] ]
+            | headers"#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual
+        .err
+        .contains("needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn headers_invalid_column_type_record() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            [[a b]; [1 ($nu.scope)] [2 2]]
+            | headers"#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual
+        .err
+        .contains("needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn headers_invalid_column_type_array() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            [[a b]; [[f,g], 2], [3,4] ]
+            | headers"#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual
+        .err
+        .contains("needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn headers_invalid_column_type_range() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            [[a b]; [(1..5), 2], [3,4] ]
+            | headers"#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual
+        .err
+        .contains("needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn headers_invalid_column_type_duration() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            [[a b]; [((date now) - (date now)), 2], [3,4] ]
+            | headers"#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual
+        .err
+        .contains("needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn headers_invalid_column_type_binary() {
+    let actual = nu!(
+    cwd: "tests/fixtures/formats", pipeline(
+        r#"
+            [[a b]; [("aa" | into binary), 2], [3,4] ]
+            | headers"#
+    ));
+
+    assert!(actual
+        .err
+        .contains("needs compatible type: Null, String, Bool, Float, Int"));
+}