diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index b0962e5c..b274cc30 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -1188,6 +1188,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     let reporter;
     let topSuite;
     let runner;
+    let parallelLodingState = null; // 'specs', 'helpers', or null for non-parallel
 
     /**
      * This represents the available options to configure Jasmine.
@@ -1634,6 +1635,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       reportSpecDone
     });
 
+    this.setParallelLoadingState = function(state) {
+      parallelLodingState = state;
+    };
+
     this.parallelReset = function() {
       // TODO: ensure that autoCleanClosures was false
       suiteBuilder.parallelReset();
@@ -1801,6 +1806,16 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       }
     }
 
+    function ensureNonParallelOrInHelperOrInDescribe(method) {
+      if (parallelLodingState === 'specs' && !suiteBuilder.inDescribe()) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'In parallel mode, ' +
+            method +
+            ' must be in a describe block or in a helper file'
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
     this.describe = function(description, definitionFn) {
       ensureIsNotNested('describe');
       return suiteBuilder.describe(description, definitionFn).metadata;
@@ -1922,6 +1937,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
 
     this.beforeEach = function(beforeEachFunction, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('beforeEach');
+      ensureNonParallelOrInHelperOrInDescribe('beforeEach');
       suiteBuilder.beforeEach(beforeEachFunction, timeout);
     };
 
@@ -1932,6 +1948,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
 
     this.afterEach = function(afterEachFunction, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('afterEach');
+      ensureNonParallelOrInHelperOrInDescribe('afterEach');
       suiteBuilder.afterEach(afterEachFunction, timeout);
     };
 
@@ -9876,6 +9893,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SuiteBuilder = function(j$) {
       this.focusedRunables = [];
     }
 
+    inDescribe() {
+      return this.currentDeclarationSuite_ !== this.topSuite;
+    }
+
     parallelReset() {
       this.topSuite.removeChildren();
       this.topSuite.reset();
diff --git a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
index 85ab4d6d..f798c80b 100644
--- a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
@@ -394,6 +394,28 @@ describe('Env', function() {
         env.beforeEach(function() {}, 2147483648);
       }).toThrowError('Timeout value cannot be greater than 2147483647');
     });
+
+    it('throws when called at the top level in a spec file in parallel mode', function() {
+      env.setParallelLoadingState('specs');
+      expect(function() {
+        env.beforeEach(function() {});
+      }).toThrowError(
+        'In parallel mode, beforeEach must be in a describe block or in a helper file'
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('does not throw when called at the top level in a helper file in parallel mode', function() {
+      env.setParallelLoadingState('helpers');
+      env.beforeEach(function() {});
+    });
+
+    it('does not throw when called in a describe in a spec file in parallel mode', function() {
+      env.setParallelLoadingState('specs');
+      env.describe('a suite', function() {
+        env.beforeEach(function() {});
+        env.it('a spec');
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('#beforeAll', function() {
@@ -438,6 +460,28 @@ describe('Env', function() {
         env.afterEach(function() {}, 2147483648);
       }).toThrowError('Timeout value cannot be greater than 2147483647');
     });
+
+    it('throws when called at the top level in a spec file in parallel mode', function() {
+      env.setParallelLoadingState('specs');
+      expect(function() {
+        env.afterEach(function() {});
+      }).toThrowError(
+        'In parallel mode, afterEach must be in a describe block or in a helper file'
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('does not throw when called at the top level in a helper file in parallel mode', function() {
+      env.setParallelLoadingState('helpers');
+      env.afterEach(function() {});
+    });
+
+    it('does not throw when called in a describe in a spec file in parallel mode', function() {
+      env.setParallelLoadingState('specs');
+      env.describe('a suite', function() {
+        env.afterEach(function() {});
+        env.it('a spec');
+      });
+    });
   });
 
   describe('#afterAll', function() {
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index 3886aa29..7e934987 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     let reporter;
     let topSuite;
     let runner;
+    let parallelLodingState = null; // 'specs', 'helpers', or null for non-parallel
 
     /**
      * This represents the available options to configure Jasmine.
@@ -492,6 +493,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       reportSpecDone
     });
 
+    this.setParallelLoadingState = function(state) {
+      parallelLodingState = state;
+    };
+
     this.parallelReset = function() {
       // TODO: ensure that autoCleanClosures was false
       suiteBuilder.parallelReset();
@@ -659,6 +664,16 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       }
     }
 
+    function ensureNonParallelOrInHelperOrInDescribe(method) {
+      if (parallelLodingState === 'specs' && !suiteBuilder.inDescribe()) {
+        throw new Error(
+          'In parallel mode, ' +
+            method +
+            ' must be in a describe block or in a helper file'
+        );
+      }
+    }
+
     this.describe = function(description, definitionFn) {
       ensureIsNotNested('describe');
       return suiteBuilder.describe(description, definitionFn).metadata;
@@ -780,6 +795,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
 
     this.beforeEach = function(beforeEachFunction, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('beforeEach');
+      ensureNonParallelOrInHelperOrInDescribe('beforeEach');
       suiteBuilder.beforeEach(beforeEachFunction, timeout);
     };
 
@@ -790,6 +806,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
 
     this.afterEach = function(afterEachFunction, timeout) {
       ensureIsNotNested('afterEach');
+      ensureNonParallelOrInHelperOrInDescribe('afterEach');
       suiteBuilder.afterEach(afterEachFunction, timeout);
     };
 
diff --git a/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js b/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js
index d17e2451..4ed6f8ce 100644
--- a/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js
+++ b/src/core/SuiteBuilder.js
@@ -22,6 +22,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().SuiteBuilder = function(j$) {
       this.focusedRunables = [];
     }
 
+    inDescribe() {
+      return this.currentDeclarationSuite_ !== this.topSuite;
+    }
+
     parallelReset() {
       this.topSuite.removeChildren();
       this.topSuite.reset();