diff --git a/maintenance/updateSpecialPages.php b/maintenance/updateSpecialPages.php
index d67ef6bb1a4..c800664cc16 100644
--- a/maintenance/updateSpecialPages.php
+++ b/maintenance/updateSpecialPages.php
@@ -71,11 +71,9 @@ class UpdateSpecialPages extends Maintenance {
 			if ( $specialObj instanceof QueryPage ) {
 				$queryPage = $specialObj;
 			} else {
-				if ( !class_exists( $class ) ) {
-					$file = $specialObj->getFile();
-					require_once $file;
-				}
-				$queryPage = new $class;
+				$class = get_class( $specialObj );
+				$this->error( "$class is not an instance of QueryPage.\n", 1 );
+				die;
 			}
 
 			if ( !$this->hasOption( 'only' ) || $this->getOption( 'only' ) == $queryPage->getName() ) {