diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.spec.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.spec.tsx
index 6e202918a10..78d96edb9d5 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.spec.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import expect from 'expect';
-import { render, act } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { render, act, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { renderWithRedux } from 'ra-test';
 import { MemoryRouter } from 'react-router-dom';
 import { ListContextProvider, DataProviderContext } from 'ra-core';
@@ -244,4 +244,64 @@ describe('<ReferenceArrayField />', () => {
         await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve)); // wait for loaded to be true
         expect(queryByText('bar1')).not.toBeNull();
     });
+
+    it('should throw an error if used without a Resource for the reference', async () => {
+        jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
+        class ErrorBoundary extends React.Component<
+            {
+                onError?: (
+                    error: Error,
+                    info: { componentStack: string }
+                ) => void;
+            },
+            { error: Error | null }
+        > {
+            constructor(props) {
+                super(props);
+                this.state = { error: null };
+            }
+
+            static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
+                // Update state so the next render will show the fallback UI.
+                return { error };
+            }
+
+            componentDidCatch(error, errorInfo) {
+                // You can also log the error to an error reporting service
+                this.props.onError(error, errorInfo);
+            }
+
+            render() {
+                if (this.state.error) {
+                    // You can render any custom fallback UI
+                    return <h1>Something went wrong.</h1>;
+                }
+
+                return this.props.children;
+            }
+        }
+        const onError = jest.fn();
+        renderWithRedux(
+            <ErrorBoundary onError={onError}>
+                <ReferenceArrayField
+                    record={{ id: 123, barIds: [1, 2] }}
+                    className="myClass"
+                    resource="foos"
+                    reference="bars"
+                    source="barIds"
+                    basePath="/foos"
+                >
+                    <SingleFieldList>
+                        <TextField source="title" />
+                    </SingleFieldList>
+                </ReferenceArrayField>
+            </ErrorBoundary>,
+            { admin: { resources: { comments: { data: {} } } } }
+        );
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect(onError.mock.calls[0][0].message).toBe(
+                'You must declare a <Resource name="bars"> in order to use a <ReferenceArrayField reference="bars">'
+            );
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.tsx
index 31f913d4a96..a733dd7827f 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceArrayField.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import * as React from 'react';
 import { Children, cloneElement, FC, memo, ReactElement } from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import { makeStyles } from '@material-ui/core/styles';
+import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import {
     ListContextProvider,
     useListContext,
@@ -11,6 +12,7 @@ import {
     FilterPayload,
     ResourceContextProvider,
     useRecordContext,
+    ReduxState,
 } from 'ra-core';
 
 import { fieldPropTypes, PublicFieldProps, InjectedFieldProps } from './types';
@@ -93,6 +95,17 @@ const ReferenceArrayField: FC<ReferenceArrayFieldProps> = props => {
             '<ReferenceArrayField> only accepts a single child (like <Datagrid>)'
         );
     }
+
+    const isReferenceDeclared = useSelector<ReduxState, boolean>(
+        state => typeof state.admin.resources[props.reference] !== 'undefined'
+    );
+
+    if (!isReferenceDeclared) {
+        throw new Error(
+            `You must declare a <Resource name="${props.reference}"> in order to use a <ReferenceArrayField reference="${props.reference}">`
+        );
+    }
+
     const controllerProps = useReferenceArrayFieldController({
         basePath,
         filter,
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.spec.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.spec.tsx
index b522b9de872..9ff80cd2efa 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.spec.tsx
@@ -131,7 +131,8 @@ describe('<ReferenceField />', () => {
                     >
                         <TextField source="title" />
                     </ReferenceField>
-                </DataProviderContext.Provider>
+                </DataProviderContext.Provider>,
+                { admin: { resources: { posts: { data: {} } } } }
             );
             await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 10));
             expect(queryByRole('progressbar')).toBeNull();
@@ -156,7 +157,8 @@ describe('<ReferenceField />', () => {
                     >
                         <TextField source="title" />
                     </ReferenceField>
-                </DataProviderContext.Provider>
+                </DataProviderContext.Provider>,
+                { admin: { resources: { posts: { data: {} } } } }
             );
             await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 10));
             expect(queryByRole('progressbar')).toBeNull();
@@ -176,7 +178,8 @@ describe('<ReferenceField />', () => {
                 emptyText="EMPTY"
             >
                 <TextField source="title" />
-            </ReferenceField>
+            </ReferenceField>,
+            { admin: { resources: { posts: { data: {} } } } }
         );
         expect(getByText('EMPTY')).not.toBeNull();
     });
@@ -260,7 +263,8 @@ describe('<ReferenceField />', () => {
                         <TextField source="title" />
                     </ReferenceField>
                 </MemoryRouter>
-            </DataProviderContext.Provider>
+            </DataProviderContext.Provider>,
+            { admin: { resources: { posts: { data: {} } } } }
         );
         await waitFor(() => {
             const action = dispatch.mock.calls[0][0];
@@ -286,7 +290,8 @@ describe('<ReferenceField />', () => {
                 >
                     <TextField source="title" />
                 </ReferenceField>
-            </DataProviderContext.Provider>
+            </DataProviderContext.Provider>,
+            { admin: { resources: { posts: { data: {} } } } }
         );
         await waitFor(() => {
             const ErrorIcon = getByRole('presentation', { hidden: true });
@@ -295,6 +300,63 @@ describe('<ReferenceField />', () => {
         });
     });
 
+    it('should throw an error if used without a Resource for the reference', async () => {
+        jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
+        class ErrorBoundary extends React.Component<
+            {
+                onError?: (
+                    error: Error,
+                    info: { componentStack: string }
+                ) => void;
+            },
+            { error: Error | null }
+        > {
+            constructor(props) {
+                super(props);
+                this.state = { error: null };
+            }
+
+            static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
+                // Update state so the next render will show the fallback UI.
+                return { error };
+            }
+
+            componentDidCatch(error, errorInfo) {
+                // You can also log the error to an error reporting service
+                this.props.onError(error, errorInfo);
+            }
+
+            render() {
+                if (this.state.error) {
+                    // You can render any custom fallback UI
+                    return <h1>Something went wrong.</h1>;
+                }
+
+                return this.props.children;
+            }
+        }
+        const onError = jest.fn();
+        renderWithRedux(
+            <ErrorBoundary onError={onError}>
+                <ReferenceField
+                    record={{ id: 123 }}
+                    resource="comments"
+                    source="postId"
+                    reference="posts"
+                    basePath="/comments"
+                >
+                    <TextField source="title" />
+                </ReferenceField>
+            </ErrorBoundary>,
+            { admin: { resources: { comments: { data: {} } } } }
+        );
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect(onError.mock.calls[0][0].message).toBe(
+                'You must declare a <Resource name="posts"> in order to use a <ReferenceField reference="posts">'
+            );
+        });
+    });
+
     describe('ReferenceFieldView', () => {
         it('should render a link to specified resourceLinkPath', () => {
             const { container } = render(
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.tsx
index fb98669b97b..db5625cdf4d 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceField.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import get from 'lodash/get';
 import { makeStyles } from '@material-ui/core/styles';
 import { Typography } from '@material-ui/core';
 import ErrorIcon from '@material-ui/icons/Error';
+import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 import {
     useReference,
     UseReferenceProps,
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ import {
     RecordContextProvider,
     Record,
     useRecordContext,
+    ReduxState,
 } from 'ra-core';
 
 import LinearProgress from '../layout/LinearProgress';
@@ -70,6 +72,16 @@ import { ClassesOverride } from '../types';
 const ReferenceField: FC<ReferenceFieldProps> = props => {
     const { source, emptyText, ...rest } = props;
     const record = useRecordContext(props);
+    const isReferenceDeclared = useSelector<ReduxState, boolean>(
+        state => typeof state.admin.resources[props.reference] !== 'undefined'
+    );
+
+    if (!isReferenceDeclared) {
+        throw new Error(
+            `You must declare a <Resource name="${props.reference}"> in order to use a <ReferenceField reference="${props.reference}">`
+        );
+    }
+
     return get(record, source) == null ? (
         emptyText ? (
             <Typography component="span" variant="body2">
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.spec.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.spec.tsx
index dad58468ed4..cbf318132f6 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.spec.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,13 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
-import { render } from '@testing-library/react';
+import expect from 'expect';
+import { render, waitFor } from '@testing-library/react';
 import { createMemoryHistory } from 'history';
 import { Router } from 'react-router-dom';
-import { ReferenceManyFieldView } from './ReferenceManyField';
+import { renderWithRedux } from 'ra-test';
+
+import ReferenceManyField, {
+    ReferenceManyFieldView,
+} from './ReferenceManyField';
 import TextField from './TextField';
 import SingleFieldList from '../list/SingleFieldList';
 
@@ -112,4 +117,63 @@ describe('<ReferenceManyField />', () => {
         expect(links[0].getAttribute('href')).toEqual('/posts/1');
         expect(links[1].getAttribute('href')).toEqual('/posts/2');
     });
+
+    it('should throw an error if used without a Resource for the reference', async () => {
+        jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
+        class ErrorBoundary extends React.Component<
+            {
+                onError?: (
+                    error: Error,
+                    info: { componentStack: string }
+                ) => void;
+            },
+            { error: Error | null }
+        > {
+            constructor(props) {
+                super(props);
+                this.state = { error: null };
+            }
+
+            static getDerivedStateFromError(error) {
+                // Update state so the next render will show the fallback UI.
+                return { error };
+            }
+
+            componentDidCatch(error, errorInfo) {
+                // You can also log the error to an error reporting service
+                this.props.onError(error, errorInfo);
+            }
+
+            render() {
+                if (this.state.error) {
+                    // You can render any custom fallback UI
+                    return <h1>Something went wrong.</h1>;
+                }
+
+                return this.props.children;
+            }
+        }
+        const onError = jest.fn();
+        renderWithRedux(
+            <ErrorBoundary onError={onError}>
+                <ReferenceManyField
+                    record={{ id: 123 }}
+                    resource="comments"
+                    target="postId"
+                    reference="posts"
+                    basePath="/comments"
+                >
+                    <SingleFieldList>
+                        <TextField source="title" />
+                    </SingleFieldList>
+                </ReferenceManyField>
+            </ErrorBoundary>,
+            { admin: { resources: { comments: { data: {} } } } }
+        );
+        await waitFor(() => {
+            expect(onError.mock.calls[0][0].message).toBe(
+                'You must declare a <Resource name="posts"> in order to use a <ReferenceManyField reference="posts">'
+            );
+        });
+    });
 });
diff --git a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.tsx b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.tsx
index 3fa136b0613..e5ddda8b55b 100644
--- a/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.tsx
+++ b/packages/ra-ui-materialui/src/field/ReferenceManyField.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ import {
     ListControllerProps,
     ResourceContextProvider,
     useRecordContext,
+    ReduxState,
 } from 'ra-core';
+import { useSelector } from 'react-redux';
 
 import { PublicFieldProps, fieldPropTypes, InjectedFieldProps } from './types';
 import sanitizeFieldRestProps from './sanitizeFieldRestProps';
@@ -80,6 +82,16 @@ export const ReferenceManyField: FC<ReferenceManyFieldProps> = props => {
         );
     }
 
+    const isReferenceDeclared = useSelector<ReduxState, boolean>(
+        state => typeof state.admin.resources[props.reference] !== 'undefined'
+    );
+
+    if (!isReferenceDeclared) {
+        throw new Error(
+            `You must declare a <Resource name="${props.reference}"> in order to use a <ReferenceManyField reference="${props.reference}">`
+        );
+    }
+
     const controllerProps = useReferenceManyFieldController({
         basePath,
         filter,