diff --git a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
index 2ec4dda3..3135ef51 100644
--- a/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
+++ b/lib/jasmine-core/jasmine.js
@@ -1983,6 +1983,13 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
         suite.pend();
       }
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
+      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
+        this.deprecated(
+          'describe with no children (describe() or it()) is ' +
+            'deprecated and will be removed in a future version of Jasmine. ' +
+            'Please either remove the describe or add children to it.'
+        );
+      }
       return suite;
     };
 
diff --git a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
index 1e50b0b8..ea6f4bc2 100644
--- a/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/EnvSpec.js
@@ -141,11 +141,24 @@ describe('Env', function() {
       );
 
       expect(function() {
-        env.describe('fn arg', function() {});
+        env.describe('fn arg', function() {
+          env.it('has a spec', function() {});
+        });
       }).not.toThrowError(
         'describe expects a function argument; received [object Function]'
       );
     });
+
+    it('logs a deprecation when it has no children', function() {
+      spyOn(env, 'deprecated');
+      env.describe('no children', function() {});
+      expect(env.deprecated).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'describe with no children' +
+          ' (describe() or it()) is deprecated and will be removed in a future ' +
+          'version of Jasmine. Please either remove the describe or add ' +
+          'children to it.'
+      );
+    });
   });
 
   describe('#it', function() {
diff --git a/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js b/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js
index c5e65754..a040f6a9 100644
--- a/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/ExceptionsSpec.js
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ 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('has 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 bd35817c..e032120a 100644
--- a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
@@ -1863,6 +1863,7 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
       } catch(e) {
         exception = e;
       }
+      env.it('has a test', function() {});
     });
 
     var assertions = function() {
@@ -1885,6 +1886,7 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
       } catch(e) {
         exception = e;
       }
+      env.it('has a test', function() {});
     });
 
     var assertions = function() {
@@ -1907,6 +1909,7 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
       } catch(e) {
         exception = e;
       }
+      env.it('has a test', function() {});
     });
 
     var assertions = function() {
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index eeeece86..39fa276b 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -1034,6 +1034,13 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
         suite.pend();
       }
       addSpecsToSuite(suite, specDefinitions);
+      if (suite.parentSuite && !suite.children.length) {
+        this.deprecated(
+          'describe with no children (describe() or it()) is ' +
+            'deprecated and will be removed in a future version of Jasmine. ' +
+            'Please either remove the describe or add children to it.'
+        );
+      }
       return suite;
     };