diff --git a/evennia/utils/tests/test_funcparser.py b/evennia/utils/tests/test_funcparser.py
index ed59006cb0..33f005645e 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/tests/test_funcparser.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/tests/test_funcparser.py
@@ -10,11 +10,10 @@ from ast import literal_eval
 from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 from django.test import TestCase, override_settings
+from evennia.utils import funcparser, test_resources
 from parameterized import parameterized
 from simpleeval import simple_eval
 
-from evennia.utils import funcparser, test_resources
-
 
 def _test_callable(*args, **kwargs):
     kwargs.pop("funcparser", None)
@@ -471,6 +470,23 @@ class TestDefaultCallables(TestCase):
         )
         self.assertEqual(expected_them, ret)
 
+    def test_conjugate__non_existing_verb(self):
+        """
+        Test $conj() but with a nonsense verb. It should just return the verb as-is.
+
+        """
+        string = "$You() $conj(squanch) greatly."
+
+        mapping = {"char1": self.obj1, "char2": self.obj2}
+        ret = self.parser.parse(
+            string, caller=self.obj1, receiver=self.obj1, mapping=mapping, raise_errors=True
+        )
+        self.assertEqual("You squanch greatly.", ret)
+        ret = self.parser.parse(
+            string, caller=self.obj1, receiver=self.obj2, mapping=mapping, raise_errors=True
+        )
+        self.assertEqual("Char1 squanchs greatly.", ret)
+
     def test_conjugate_missing_args(self):
         string = "You $conj(smile)"
         with self.assertRaises(funcparser.ParsingError):
diff --git a/evennia/utils/verb_conjugation/conjugate.py b/evennia/utils/verb_conjugation/conjugate.py
index 393347af6c..20043b4e09 100644
--- a/evennia/utils/verb_conjugation/conjugate.py
+++ b/evennia/utils/verb_conjugation/conjugate.py
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ def verb_conjugate(verb, tense="infinitive", negate=False):
         ind += len(verb_tenses_keys)
     try:
         return verb_tenses[verb][ind]
-    except IndexError:
+    except (IndexError, KeyError):
         # TODO implement simple algorithm here with +s for certain tenses?
         return verb
 
@@ -257,7 +257,9 @@ def verb_tense(verb):
 
     """
     infinitive = verb_infinitive(verb)
-    data = verb_tenses[infinitive]
+    data = verb_tenses.get(infinitive)
+    if not data:
+        return infinitive
     for tense in verb_tenses_keys:
         if data[verb_tenses_keys[tense]] == verb:
             return tense