diff --git a/movement/analysis/navigation.py b/movement/analysis/navigation.py
index 89bb10bea..022d713f0 100644
--- a/movement/analysis/navigation.py
+++ b/movement/analysis/navigation.py
@@ -50,6 +50,12 @@ def compute_head_direction_vector(
         raise log_error(
             ValueError, "The left and right keypoints may not be identical."
         )
+    if len(data.space) != 2:
+        raise log_error(
+            ValueError,
+            "Input data must have 2 (and only 2) spatial dimensions, but "
+            f"currently has {len(data.space)}.",
+        )
 
     # Select the right and left keypoints
     head_left = data.sel(keypoints=left_keypoint, drop=True)
diff --git a/tests/test_unit/test_navigation.py b/tests/test_unit/test_navigation.py
index 2d84a7076..a8a90e028 100644
--- a/tests/test_unit/test_navigation.py
+++ b/tests/test_unit/test_navigation.py
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def test_compute_head_direction_vector(mock_dataset):
     are computed from a basic mock dataset.
     """
     # Test that validators work
-    with pytest.raises(TypeError):
+    with pytest.raises(TypeError):  # Catch incorrect datatype
         np_array = [
             [[[1, 0], [-1, 0], [0, -1]]],
             [[[0, 1], [0, -1], [1, 0]]],
@@ -47,17 +47,38 @@ def test_compute_head_direction_vector(mock_dataset):
             np_array, "left_ear", "right_ear"
         )
 
-    with pytest.raises(AttributeError):
+    with pytest.raises(AttributeError):  # Catch incorrect dimensions
         mock_dataset_keypoint = mock_dataset.sel(keypoints="nose", drop=True)
         navigation.compute_head_direction_vector(
             mock_dataset_keypoint, "left_ear", "right_ear"
         )
 
-    with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):  # Catch identical left and right keypoints
         navigation.compute_head_direction_vector(
             mock_dataset, "left_ear", "left_ear"
         )
 
+    with pytest.raises(ValueError):  # Catch incorrect spatial dimensions
+        time = np.array([0])
+        individuals = np.array(["individual_0"])
+        keypoints = np.array(["left", "right"])
+        space = np.array(["x", "y", "z"])
+
+        ds = xr.DataArray(
+            [
+                [[[1, 0, 0], [-1, 0, 0]]],
+            ],
+            dims=["time", "individuals", "keypoints", "space"],
+            coords={
+                "time": time,
+                "individuals": individuals,
+                "keypoints": keypoints,
+                "space": space,
+            },
+        )
+
+        navigation.compute_head_direction_vector(ds, "left", "right")
+
     # Test that output contains correct datatype, dimensions, and values
     head_vector = navigation.compute_head_direction_vector(
         mock_dataset, "left_ear", "right_ear"