diff --git a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
index 72c8d979..821a3b27 100644
--- a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
@@ -133,6 +133,12 @@ describe('Env', function() {
         'describe expects a function argument; received [object Function]'
       );
     });
+
+    it('throws an error when it has no children', function() {
+      expect(function() {
+        env.describe('done method', function() {});
+      }).toThrowError('describe with no children (describe() or it())');
+    });
   });
 
   describe('#it', function() {
diff --git a/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js b/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js
index 538c682d..6dd4611b 100644
--- a/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js
@@ -30,7 +30,9 @@ describe('Exceptions:', function() {
   });
 
   it('should handle exceptions thrown directly in top-level describe blocks and continue', function(done) {
-    var secondDescribe = jasmine.createSpy('second describe');
+    var secondDescribe = jasmine.createSpy('second describe').and.callFake(function() {
+      env.it('is a test', function() {});
+    });
     env.describe('a suite that throws an exception', function() {
       env.it('is a test that should pass', function() {
         this.expect(true).toEqual(true);
diff --git a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
index 9c827b24..041e738e 100644
--- a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
@@ -1881,6 +1881,7 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
       } catch(e) {
         exception = e;
       }
+      env.it('has a test', () => {});
     });
 
     var assertions = function() {
@@ -1904,6 +1905,7 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
       } catch(e) {
         exception = e;
       }
+      env.it('has a test', () => {});
     });
 
     var assertions = function() {
@@ -1927,6 +1929,7 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
       } catch(e) {
         exception = e;
       }
+      env.it('has a test', () => {});
     });
 
     var assertions = function() {
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index 43e4a8e7..f8a38ff7 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -843,6 +843,9 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
         suite.pend();
       }
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
+      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
+        throw new Error('describe with no children (describe() or it())');
+      }
       return suite;
     };