diff --git a/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ReactWrapper-spec.jsx b/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ReactWrapper-spec.jsx
index 8d0a8fe85..19473ba15 100644
--- a/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ReactWrapper-spec.jsx
+++ b/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ReactWrapper-spec.jsx
@@ -85,6 +85,48 @@ describeWithDOM('mount', () => {
       expect(spy).to.have.property('callCount', 1);
     });
 
+    describe('wrapping invalid elements', () => {
+      itIf(is('>= 16'), 'should throw when mounting Portals', () => {
+        const portal = createPortal(
+          <div />,
+          { nodeType: 1 },
+        );
+
+        expect(() => mount(portal)).to.throw(
+          Error,
+          'ReactWrapper can only wrap valid elements',
+        );
+      });
+
+      it('should throw when mounting plain text', () => {
+        expect(() => mount('Foo')).to.throw(
+          Error,
+          'ReactWrapper can only wrap valid elements',
+        );
+      });
+
+      it('should throw when mounting multiple elements', () => {
+        expect(() => mount([<div />])).to.throw(
+          TypeError,
+          'ReactWrapper can only wrap valid elements',
+        );
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should mount built in components', () => {
+      expect(() => mount(<div />)).not.to.throw();
+    });
+
+    it('should mount composite components', () => {
+      class Foo extends React.Component {
+        render() {
+          return <div />;
+        }
+      }
+
+      expect(() => mount(<Foo />)).not.to.throw();
+    });
+
     describeIf(is('>= 16.3'), 'uses the isValidElementType from the Adapter to validate the prop type of Component', () => {
       const Foo = () => null;
       const Bar = () => null;
diff --git a/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ShallowWrapper-spec.jsx b/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ShallowWrapper-spec.jsx
index 0d74d92bc..d4286d9eb 100644
--- a/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ShallowWrapper-spec.jsx
+++ b/packages/enzyme-test-suite/test/ShallowWrapper-spec.jsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import './_helpers/setupAdapters';
 import {
   createClass,
   createContext,
+  createPortal,
   createRef,
   Fragment,
   forwardRef,
@@ -77,6 +78,48 @@ describe('shallow', () => {
       expect(wrapper.children().type()).to.equal('div');
       expect(wrapper.children().props().bam).to.equal(undefined);
     });
+
+    describe('wrapping invalid elements', () => {
+      itIf(is('>= 16'), 'should throw when shallow rendering Portals', () => {
+        const portal = createPortal(
+          <div />,
+          { nodeType: 1 },
+        );
+
+        expect(() => shallow(portal)).to.throw(
+          Error,
+          'ShallowWrapper can only wrap valid elements',
+        );
+      });
+
+      it('should throw when shallow rendering plain text', () => {
+        expect(() => shallow('Foo')).to.throw(
+          Error,
+          'ShallowWrapper can only wrap valid elements',
+        );
+      });
+
+      it('should throw when shallow rendering multiple elements', () => {
+        expect(() => shallow([<div />])).to.throw(
+          TypeError,
+          'ShallowWrapper can only wrap valid elements',
+        );
+      });
+    });
+
+    it('should shallow render built in components', () => {
+      expect(() => shallow(<div />)).not.to.throw();
+    });
+
+    it('should shallow render composite components', () => {
+      class Foo extends React.Component {
+        render() {
+          return <div />;
+        }
+      }
+
+      expect(() => shallow(<Foo />)).not.to.throw();
+    });
   });
 
   describe('context', () => {
diff --git a/packages/enzyme/src/ReactWrapper.js b/packages/enzyme/src/ReactWrapper.js
index b7129320a..d40e8c17a 100644
--- a/packages/enzyme/src/ReactWrapper.js
+++ b/packages/enzyme/src/ReactWrapper.js
@@ -85,8 +85,13 @@ class ReactWrapper {
     const options = makeOptions(passedOptions);
 
     if (!root) {
+      const adapter = getAdapter(options);
+      if (!adapter.isValidElement(nodes)) {
+        throw new TypeError('ReactWrapper can only wrap valid elements');
+      }
+
       privateSet(this, UNRENDERED, nodes);
-      const renderer = getAdapter(options).createRenderer({ mode: 'mount', ...options });
+      const renderer = adapter.createRenderer({ mode: 'mount', ...options });
       privateSet(this, RENDERER, renderer);
       renderer.render(nodes, options.context);
       privateSet(this, ROOT, this);
diff --git a/packages/enzyme/src/ShallowWrapper.js b/packages/enzyme/src/ShallowWrapper.js
index ff1c5e40b..4c1801952 100644
--- a/packages/enzyme/src/ShallowWrapper.js
+++ b/packages/enzyme/src/ShallowWrapper.js
@@ -170,6 +170,10 @@ class ShallowWrapper {
 
     // mounting a ShallowRender component
     if (!root) {
+      if (!adapter.isValidElement(nodes)) {
+        throw new TypeError('ShallowWrapper can only wrap valid elements');
+      }
+
       privateSet(this, ROOT, this);
       privateSet(this, UNRENDERED, nodes);
       const renderer = adapter.createRenderer({ mode: 'shallow', ...options });