diff --git a/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactCompositeComponent.js b/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactCompositeComponent.js
index 09be6c0532acb..fb570f7fe3d62 100644
--- a/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactCompositeComponent.js
+++ b/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/ReactCompositeComponent.js
@@ -808,8 +808,21 @@ var ReactCompositeComponentMixin = {
   attachRef: function(ref, component) {
     var inst = this.getPublicInstance();
     invariant(inst != null, 'Stateless function components cannot have refs.');
+    var publicComponentInstance = component.getPublicInstance();
+    if (__DEV__) {
+      var componentName = component && component.getName ?
+        component.getName() : 'a component';
+      warning(publicComponentInstance != null,
+        'Stateless function components cannot be given refs ' +
+        '(See ref "%s" in %s created by %s). ' +
+        'Attempts to access this ref will fail.',
+        ref,
+        componentName,
+        this.getName()
+      );
+    }
     var refs = inst.refs === emptyObject ? (inst.refs = {}) : inst.refs;
-    refs[ref] = component.getPublicInstance();
+    refs[ref] = publicComponentInstance;
   },
 
   /**
diff --git a/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/__tests__/ReactStatelessComponent-test.js b/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/__tests__/ReactStatelessComponent-test.js
index c94c60f8274b3..3f703b3cd4fa1 100644
--- a/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/__tests__/ReactStatelessComponent-test.js
+++ b/src/renderers/shared/reconciler/__tests__/ReactStatelessComponent-test.js
@@ -125,6 +125,25 @@ describe('ReactStatelessComponent', function() {
     );
   });
 
+  it('should warn when given a ref', function() {
+    spyOn(console, 'error');
+
+    var Parent = React.createClass({
+      displayName: 'Parent',
+      render: function() {
+        return <StatelessComponent name="A" ref="stateless"/>;
+      },
+    });
+    ReactTestUtils.renderIntoDocument(<Parent/>);
+
+    expect(console.error.argsForCall.length).toBe(1);
+    expect(console.error.argsForCall[0][0]).toContain(
+      'Stateless function components cannot be given refs ' +
+      '(See ref "stateless" in StatelessComponent created by Parent). ' +
+      'Attempts to access this ref will fail.'
+    );
+  });
+
   it('should provide a null ref', function() {
     function Child() {
       return <div />;