diff --git a/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js b/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js
index f6681d44f7..f6af832e67 100644
--- a/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js
+++ b/src/core/ReactCompositeComponent.js
@@ -1164,6 +1164,17 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = {
     'ReactCompositeComponent',
     '_renderValidatedComponent',
     function() {
+      // We set ReactCurrentOwner.current back to null at the end of this
+      // function, so it should be null right now. If it's not, later code may
+      // give confusing errors.
+      invariant(
+        ReactCurrentOwner.current == null,
+        '%s.render(): Render methods should be a pure function of props and ' +
+          'state; triggering nested component updates from render is not ' +
+          'allowed. If necessary, trigger nested updates in ' +
+          'componentDidUpdate.',
+        this.constructor.displayName || 'ReactCompositeComponent'
+      );
       var renderedComponent;
       var previousContext = ReactContext.current;
       ReactContext.current = this._processChildContext(
diff --git a/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponent-test.js b/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponent-test.js
index add279580f..6994a7a0b4 100644
--- a/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponent-test.js
+++ b/src/core/__tests__/ReactCompositeComponent-test.js
@@ -1345,4 +1345,27 @@ describe('ReactCompositeComponent', function() {
     expect(console.warn.argsForCall.length).toBe(0);
   });
 
+  it('should disallow nested render calls', function() {
+    var Inner = React.createClass({
+      render: function() {
+        return <div />;
+      }
+    });
+    var Outer = React.createClass({
+      render: function() {
+        ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument(<Inner />);
+        return <div />;
+      }
+    });
+
+    expect(() => {
+      ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument(<Outer />);
+    }).toThrow(
+      'Invariant Violation: Inner.render(): Render methods should be a pure ' +
+      'function of props and state; triggering nested component updates ' +
+      'from render is not allowed. If necessary, trigger nested updates in ' +
+      'componentDidUpdate.'
+    );
+  });
+
 });