diff --git a/packages/ember-data/lib/serializers/rest-serializer.js b/packages/ember-data/lib/serializers/rest-serializer.js
index 345c5f7ae89..c7a3a4b4961 100644
--- a/packages/ember-data/lib/serializers/rest-serializer.js
+++ b/packages/ember-data/lib/serializers/rest-serializer.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import coerceId from "ember-data/system/coerce-id";
 import { pushPayload } from "ember-data/system/store/serializer-response";
 
 var camelize = Ember.String.camelize;
+var get = Ember.get;
 
 /**
   Normally, applications will use the `RESTSerializer` by implementing
@@ -212,6 +213,8 @@ var RESTSerializer = JSONSerializer.extend({
     let modelClass = store.modelFor(modelName);
     let serializer = store.serializerFor(modelName);
 
+    Ember.assert(`${this.toString()} has opted into the new serializer API and expects the ${serializer.toString()} it collaborates with to also support the new serializer API by setting its \`isNewSerializerAPI\` property to true.`, get(serializer, 'isNewSerializerAPI'));
+
     arrayHash.forEach((hash) => {
       let { data, included } = serializer.normalize(modelClass, hash, prop);
       documentHash.data.push(data);
diff --git a/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/rest-serializer-new-test.js b/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/rest-serializer-new-test.js
index a3d6227a80b..40178174b21 100644
--- a/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/rest-serializer-new-test.js
+++ b/packages/ember-data/tests/integration/serializers/rest-serializer-new-test.js
@@ -409,3 +409,24 @@ test('normalize should allow for different levels of normalization', function()
 
   equal(array.data[0].relationships.superVillain.data.id, 1);
 });
+
+
+test("should assert with collaborating with non newSerializerAPI serializers", function() {
+  expect(1);
+
+  env.registry.register('serializer:home-planet', DS.RESTSerializer.extend({
+    isNewSerializerAPI: false
+  }));
+
+
+  var jsonHash = {
+    home_planets: [{ id: "1", name: "Umber", superVillains: [1] }],
+    super_villains: [{ id: "1", firstName: "Tom", lastName: "Dale", homePlanet: "1" }]
+  };
+  var array;
+  expectAssertion(function() {
+    run(function() {
+      array = env.restNewSerializer.normalizeArrayResponse(env.store, SuperVillain, jsonHash, null, 'findAll');
+    });
+  }, /collaborates with to also support the new serializer API by setting its `isNewSerializerAPI` property to true./);
+});