diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 48078af9..eef18403 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -1065,6 +1065,13 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       }
     };
 
+    function ensureIsNotNested(method) {
+      var runnable = currentRunnable();
+      if (runnable !== null && runnable !== undefined) {
+        throw new Error('\'' + method + '\' should only be used in \'describe\' function');
+      }
+    }
+
     var suiteFactory = function(description) {
       var suite = new j$.Suite({
         env: self,
@@ -1080,6 +1087,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.describe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('describe');
       ensureIsFunction(specDefinitions, 'describe');
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       if (specDefinitions.length > 0) {
@@ -1093,6 +1101,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.xdescribe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('xdescribe');
       ensureIsFunction(specDefinitions, 'xdescribe');
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       suite.pend();
@@ -1103,6 +1112,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     var focusedRunnables = [];
 
     this.fdescribe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('fdescribe');
       ensureIsFunction(specDefinitions, 'fdescribe');
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       suite.isFocused = true;
@@ -1200,6 +1210,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.it = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('it');
       // it() sometimes doesn't have a fn argument, so only check the type if
       // it's given.
       if (arguments.length > 1 && typeof fn !== 'undefined') {
@@ -1214,6 +1225,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.xit = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('xit');
       // xit(), like it(), doesn't always have a fn argument, so only check the
       // type when needed.
       if (arguments.length > 1 && typeof fn !== 'undefined') {
@@ -1225,6 +1237,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.fit = function(description, fn, timeout){
+      ensureIsNotNested('fit');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(fn, 'fit');
       var spec = specFactory(description, fn, currentDeclarationSuite, timeout);
       currentDeclarationSuite.addChild(spec);
@@ -1242,6 +1255,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.beforeEach = function(beforeEachFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('beforeEach');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(beforeEachFunction, 'beforeEach');
       currentDeclarationSuite.beforeEach({
         fn: beforeEachFunction,
@@ -1250,6 +1264,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.beforeAll = function(beforeAllFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('beforeAll');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(beforeAllFunction, 'beforeAll');
       currentDeclarationSuite.beforeAll({
         fn: beforeAllFunction,
@@ -1258,6 +1273,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.afterEach = function(afterEachFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('afterEach');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(afterEachFunction, 'afterEach');
       afterEachFunction.isCleanup = true;
       currentDeclarationSuite.afterEach({
@@ -1267,6 +1283,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.afterAll = function(afterAllFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('afterAll');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(afterAllFunction, 'afterAll');
       currentDeclarationSuite.afterAll({
         fn: afterAllFunction,
diff --git a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
index 58ce58a6..f77b6265 100644
--- a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
@@ -1903,4 +1903,65 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
 
     env.execute();
   });
+
+  it('should throw on suites/specs/befores/afters nested in methods other than \'describe\'', function(done) {
+    var env = new jasmineUnderTest.Env(),
+      reporter = jasmine.createSpyObj('reporter', ['jasmineDone', 'suiteDone', 'specDone']);
+
+    reporter.jasmineDone.and.callFake(function() {
+      var msg = /\'.*\' should only be used in \'describe\' function/;
+
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('suite describe', [msg]);
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('suite xdescribe', [msg]);
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('suite fdescribe', [msg]);
+
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('spec it', [msg]);
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('spec xit', [msg]);
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('spec fit', [msg]);
+
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('beforeAll spec', [msg]);
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('beforeEach spec', [msg]);
+
+      expect(reporter.suiteDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('afterAll', [msg]);
+      expect(reporter.specDone).toHaveFailedExpecationsForRunnable('afterEach spec', [msg]);
+
+      done();
+    });
+
+    env.addReporter(reporter);
+
+    env.describe('suite', function() {
+      env.it('describe', function() { env.describe('inner suite', function() {}); });
+      env.it('xdescribe', function() { env.xdescribe('inner suite', function() {}); });
+      env.it('fdescribe', function() { env.fdescribe('inner suite', function() {}); });
+    });
+
+    env.describe('spec', function() {
+      env.it('it', function() { env.it('inner spec', function() {}); });
+      env.it('xit', function() { env.xit('inner spec', function() {}); });
+      env.it('fit', function() { env.fit('inner spec', function() {}); });
+    });
+
+    env.describe('beforeAll', function() {
+      env.beforeAll(function() { env.beforeAll(function() {}); });
+      env.it('spec', function() {});
+    });
+
+    env.describe('beforeEach', function() {
+      env.beforeEach(function() { env.beforeEach(function() {}); });
+      env.it('spec', function() {});
+    });
+
+    env.describe('afterAll', function() {
+      env.afterAll(function() { env.afterAll(function() {}); });
+      env.it('spec', function() {});
+    });
+
+    env.describe('afterEach', function() {
+      env.afterEach(function() { env.afterEach(function() {}); });
+      env.it('spec', function() {});
+    });
+
+    env.execute();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index b26c7db0..9655f15d 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -384,6 +384,13 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
       }
     };
 
+    function ensureIsNotNested(method) {
+      var runnable = currentRunnable();
+      if (runnable !== null && runnable !== undefined) {
+        throw new Error('\'' + method + '\' should only be used in \'describe\' function');
+      }
+    }
+
     var suiteFactory = function(description) {
       var suite = new j$.Suite({
         env: self,
@@ -399,6 +406,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.describe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('describe');
       ensureIsFunction(specDefinitions, 'describe');
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       if (specDefinitions.length > 0) {
@@ -412,6 +420,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.xdescribe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('xdescribe');
       ensureIsFunction(specDefinitions, 'xdescribe');
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       suite.pend();
@@ -422,6 +431,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     var focusedRunnables = [];
 
     this.fdescribe = function(description, specDefinitions) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('fdescribe');
       ensureIsFunction(specDefinitions, 'fdescribe');
       var suite = suiteFactory(description);
       suite.isFocused = true;
@@ -519,6 +529,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.it = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('it');
       // it() sometimes doesn't have a fn argument, so only check the type if
       // it's given.
       if (arguments.length > 1 && typeof fn !== 'undefined') {
@@ -533,6 +544,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.xit = function(description, fn, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('xit');
       // xit(), like it(), doesn't always have a fn argument, so only check the
       // type when needed.
       if (arguments.length > 1 && typeof fn !== 'undefined') {
@@ -544,6 +556,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.fit = function(description, fn, timeout){
+      ensureIsNotNested('fit');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(fn, 'fit');
       var spec = specFactory(description, fn, currentDeclarationSuite, timeout);
       currentDeclarationSuite.addChild(spec);
@@ -561,6 +574,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.beforeEach = function(beforeEachFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('beforeEach');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(beforeEachFunction, 'beforeEach');
       currentDeclarationSuite.beforeEach({
         fn: beforeEachFunction,
@@ -569,6 +583,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.beforeAll = function(beforeAllFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('beforeAll');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(beforeAllFunction, 'beforeAll');
       currentDeclarationSuite.beforeAll({
         fn: beforeAllFunction,
@@ -577,6 +592,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.afterEach = function(afterEachFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('afterEach');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(afterEachFunction, 'afterEach');
       afterEachFunction.isCleanup = true;
       currentDeclarationSuite.afterEach({
@@ -586,6 +602,7 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.afterAll = function(afterAllFunction, timeout) {
+      ensureIsNotNested('afterAll');
       ensureIsFunctionOrAsync(afterAllFunction, 'afterAll');
       currentDeclarationSuite.afterAll({
         fn: afterAllFunction,