diff --git a/src/isomorphic/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js b/src/isomorphic/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js
index 8c30884017..e7ad9d72a7 100644
--- a/src/isomorphic/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js
+++ b/src/isomorphic/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js
@@ -187,13 +187,31 @@ var ReactElementValidator = {
     // We warn in this case but don't throw. We expect the element creation to
     // succeed and there will likely be errors in render.
     if (!validType) {
-      warning(
-        false,
-        'React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or ' +
-          'number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass ' +
-          '(for composite components).%s',
-        getDeclarationErrorAddendum()
-      );
+      if (
+        typeof type !== 'function' &&
+        typeof type !== 'string'
+      ) {
+        var info = '';
+        if (
+          type === undefined ||
+          typeof type === 'object' &&
+          type !== null &&
+          Object.keys(type).length === 0
+        ) {
+          info +=
+            ' You likely forgot to export your component from the file ' +
+            'it\'s defined in.';
+        }
+        info += getDeclarationErrorAddendum();
+        warning(
+          false,
+          'React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string (for ' +
+          'built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+          'components) but got: %s.%s',
+          type == null ? type : typeof type,
+          info,
+        );
+      }
     }
 
     var element = ReactElement.createElement.apply(this, arguments);
diff --git a/src/isomorphic/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js b/src/isomorphic/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js
index 5690e2125b..b36fa2f39c 100644
--- a/src/isomorphic/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js
+++ b/src/isomorphic/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js
@@ -289,35 +289,49 @@ describe('ReactElementValidator', () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it('gives a helpful error when passing null, undefined, boolean, or number', () => {
+  it('gives a helpful error when passing invalid types', () => {
     spyOn(console, 'error');
     React.createElement(undefined);
     React.createElement(null);
     React.createElement(true);
     React.createElement(123);
-    expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(4);
+    React.createElement({x: 17});
+    React.createElement({});
+    expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(6);
     expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
-      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
-      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: undefined. You likely forgot to export your ' +
+      'component from the file it\'s defined in.'
     );
     expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(1)[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
-      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
-      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: null.'
     );
     expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(2)[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
-      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
-      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: boolean.'
     );
     expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(3)[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
-      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
-      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: number.'
+    );
+    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(4)[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: object.'
+    );
+    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(5)[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: object. You likely forgot to export your ' +
+      'component from the file it\'s defined in.'
     );
     React.createElement('div');
-    expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(4);
+    expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(6);
   });
 
   it('includes the owner name when passing null, undefined, boolean, or number', () => {
@@ -336,10 +350,9 @@ describe('ReactElementValidator', () => {
     );
     expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(1);
     expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
-      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
-      'ReactClass (for composite components). Check the render method of ' +
-      '`ParentComp`.'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: null. Check the render method of `ParentComp`.'
     );
   });
 
@@ -537,9 +550,10 @@ describe('ReactElementValidator', () => {
     void <Foo>{[<div />]}</Foo>;
     expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(1);
     expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
-      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
-      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: undefined. You likely forgot to export your ' +
+      'component from the file it\'s defined in.'
     );
   });
 
diff --git a/src/isomorphic/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js b/src/isomorphic/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js
index 71fbed5bd3..00f3650217 100644
--- a/src/isomorphic/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js
+++ b/src/isomorphic/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js
@@ -218,21 +218,26 @@ describe('ReactJSXElementValidator', () => {
     void <True />;
     void <Num />;
     expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(4);
-    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toContain(
-      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
-      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(0)[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: undefined. You likely forgot to export your ' +
+      'component from the file it\'s defined in.'
     );
-    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(1)[0]).toContain(
-      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
-      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(1)[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: null.'
     );
-    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(2)[0]).toContain(
-      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
-      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(2)[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: boolean.'
     );
-    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(3)[0]).toContain(
-      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
-      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    expect(console.error.calls.argsFor(3)[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type is invalid -- expected a string ' +
+      '(for built-in components) or a class/function (for composite ' +
+      'components) but got: number.'
     );
     void <Div />;
     expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(4);
diff --git a/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/__tests__/ReactComponent-test.js b/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/__tests__/ReactComponent-test.js
index 769b2bafcc..28c914152b 100644
--- a/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/__tests__/ReactComponent-test.js
+++ b/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/__tests__/ReactComponent-test.js
@@ -327,7 +327,9 @@ describe('ReactComponent', () => {
     var X = undefined;
     expect(() => ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument(<X />)).toThrowError(
       'Element type is invalid: expected a string (for built-in components) ' +
-      'or a class/function (for composite components) but got: undefined.'
+      'or a class/function (for composite components) but got: undefined. ' +
+      'You likely forgot to export your component from the file it\'s ' +
+      'defined in.'
     );
 
     var Y = null;
@@ -340,4 +342,23 @@ describe('ReactComponent', () => {
     expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(2);
   });
 
+  it('includes owner name in the error about badly-typed elements', () => {
+    spyOn(console, 'error');
+
+    function Foo() {
+      var X = undefined;
+      return <X />;
+    }
+
+    expect(() => ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument(<Foo />)).toThrowError(
+      'Element type is invalid: expected a string (for built-in components) ' +
+      'or a class/function (for composite components) but got: undefined. ' +
+      'You likely forgot to export your component from the file it\'s ' +
+      'defined in. Check the render method of `Foo`.'
+    );
+
+    // One warning for each element creation
+    expect(console.error.calls.count()).toBe(1);
+  });
+
 });
diff --git a/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/instantiateReactComponent.js b/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/instantiateReactComponent.js
index 202768d8bb..d1b5c23262 100644
--- a/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/instantiateReactComponent.js
+++ b/src/renderers/shared/stack/reconciler/instantiateReactComponent.js
@@ -72,14 +72,33 @@ function instantiateReactComponent(node, shouldHaveDebugID) {
     instance = ReactEmptyComponent.create(instantiateReactComponent);
   } else if (typeof node === 'object') {
     var element = node;
-    invariant(
-      element && (typeof element.type === 'function' ||
-                  typeof element.type === 'string'),
-      'Element type is invalid: expected a string (for built-in components) ' +
-      'or a class/function (for composite components) but got: %s.%s',
-      element.type == null ? element.type : typeof element.type,
-      getDeclarationErrorAddendum(element._owner)
-    );
+    var type = element.type;
+    if (
+      typeof type !== 'function' &&
+      typeof type !== 'string'
+    ) {
+      var info = '';
+      if (__DEV__) {
+        if (
+          type === undefined ||
+          typeof type === 'object' &&
+          type !== null &&
+          Object.keys(type).length === 0
+        ) {
+          info +=
+            ' You likely forgot to export your component from the file ' +
+            'it\'s defined in.';
+        }
+      }
+      info += getDeclarationErrorAddendum(element._owner);
+      invariant(
+        false,
+        'Element type is invalid: expected a string (for built-in components) ' +
+        'or a class/function (for composite components) but got: %s.%s',
+        type == null ? type : typeof type,
+        info,
+      );
+    }
 
     // Special case string values
     if (typeof element.type === 'string') {