diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/column.py b/python/pyspark/sql/column.py
index c10ab9638a21..ec05c18d4f06 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/column.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/column.py
@@ -180,7 +180,9 @@ def __init__(self, jc):
     __ror__ = _bin_op("or")
 
     # container operators
-    __contains__ = _bin_op("contains")
+    def __contains__(self, item):
+        raise ValueError("Cannot apply 'in' operator against a column: please use 'contains' "
+                         "in a string column or 'array_contains' function for an array column.")
 
     # bitwise operators
     bitwiseOR = _bin_op("bitwiseOR")
diff --git a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
index e943f8da3db1..81f3d1d36a34 100644
--- a/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
+++ b/python/pyspark/sql/tests.py
@@ -967,6 +967,9 @@ def test_column_operators(self):
             cs.startswith('a'), cs.endswith('a')
         self.assertTrue(all(isinstance(c, Column) for c in css))
         self.assertTrue(isinstance(ci.cast(LongType()), Column))
+        self.assertRaisesRegexp(ValueError,
+                                "Cannot apply 'in' operator against a column",
+                                lambda: 1 in cs)
 
     def test_column_getitem(self):
         from pyspark.sql.functions import col