diff --git a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
index 3aef1360..5381fddc 100644
--- a/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
+++ b/spec/core/integration/EnvSpec.js
@@ -488,5 +488,19 @@ describe("Env integration", function() {
 
     env.execute();
   });
+
+  it("produces an understandable error message when an 'expect' is used outside of a current spec", function(done) {
+    var env = new j$.Env();
+
+    env.describe("A Suite", function() {
+      env.it("an async spec that is actually synchronous", function(underTestCallback) {
+        underTestCallback();
+        expect(function() { env.expect('a').toEqual('a'); }).toThrowError(/'expect' was used when there was no current spec/);
+        done();
+      });
+    });
+
+    env.execute();
+  });
 });
 
diff --git a/src/core/Env.js b/src/core/Env.js
index fc2fd27f..48146ac6 100644
--- a/src/core/Env.js
+++ b/src/core/Env.js
@@ -317,6 +317,10 @@ getJasmineRequireObj().Env = function(j$) {
     };
 
     this.expect = function(actual) {
+      if (!currentSpec) {
+        throw new Error('\'expect\' was used when there was no current spec, this could be because an asynchronous test timed out');
+      }
+
       return currentSpec.expect(actual);
     };