diff --git a/src/browser/ui/ReactDOMComponent.js b/src/browser/ui/ReactDOMComponent.js
index 0a6f60e14ac..3d7031f13bf 100644
--- a/src/browser/ui/ReactDOMComponent.js
+++ b/src/browser/ui/ReactDOMComponent.js
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ var invariant = require('invariant');
 var isEventSupported = require('isEventSupported');
 var keyOf = require('keyOf');
 var monitorCodeUse = require('monitorCodeUse');
+var warning = require('warning');
 
 var deleteListener = ReactBrowserEventEmitter.deleteListener;
 var listenTo = ReactBrowserEventEmitter.listenTo;
@@ -52,11 +53,23 @@ function assertValidProps(props) {
     return;
   }
   // Note the use of `==` which checks for null or undefined.
-  invariant(
-    props.children == null || props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML == null,
-    'Can only set one of `children` or `props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML`.'
-  );
+  if (props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML != null) {
+    invariant(
+      props.children == null,
+      'Can only set one of `children` or `props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML`.'
+    );
+    invariant(
+      props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML.__html != null,
+      '`props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML` must be in the form `{__html: ...}`. ' +
+      'For more information, lookup documentation on `dangerouslySetInnerHTML`.'
+    );
+  }
   if (__DEV__) {
+    warning(
+      props.innerHTML == null,
+      'Directly setting property `innerHTML` is not permitted. ' +
+      'For more information, lookup documentation on `dangerouslySetInnerHTML`.'
+    );
     if (props.contentEditable && props.children != null) {
       console.warn(
         'A component is `contentEditable` and contains `children` managed by ' +
diff --git a/src/browser/ui/__tests__/ReactDOMComponent-test.js b/src/browser/ui/__tests__/ReactDOMComponent-test.js
index aa557c662d2..b69773cd241 100644
--- a/src/browser/ui/__tests__/ReactDOMComponent-test.js
+++ b/src/browser/ui/__tests__/ReactDOMComponent-test.js
@@ -341,6 +341,36 @@ describe('ReactDOMComponent', function() {
       );
     });
 
+    it('should validate against use of innerHTML', function() {
+
+      spyOn(console, 'warn');
+      mountComponent({ innerHTML: '<span>Hi Jim!</span>' });
+      expect(console.warn.argsForCall.length).toBe(1);
+      expect(console.warn.argsForCall[0][0]).toContain(
+        'Directly setting property `innerHTML` is not permitted. '
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should validate use of dangerouslySetInnerHTML', function() {
+      expect(function() {
+        mountComponent({ dangerouslySetInnerHTML: '<span>Hi Jim!</span>' });
+      }).toThrow(
+        'Invariant Violation: ' +
+        '`props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML` must be in the form `{__html: ...}`. ' +
+        'For more information, lookup documentation on `dangerouslySetInnerHTML`.'
+      );
+    });
+
+    it('should validate use of dangerouslySetInnerHTML', function() {
+      expect(function() {
+        mountComponent({ dangerouslySetInnerHTML: {foo: 'bar'} });
+      }).toThrow(
+        'Invariant Violation: ' +
+        '`props.dangerouslySetInnerHTML` must be in the form `{__html: ...}`. ' +
+        'For more information, lookup documentation on `dangerouslySetInnerHTML`.'
+      );
+    });
+
     it("should warn about contentEditable and children", function() {
       spyOn(console, 'warn');
       mountComponent({ contentEditable: true, children: '' });