diff --git a/lib/common/util.js b/lib/common/util.js
index 2bb256a5fab..24c0781b749 100644
--- a/lib/common/util.js
+++ b/lib/common/util.js
@@ -344,6 +344,19 @@ function makeWritableStream(dup, options, onComplete) {
 module.exports.makeWritableStream = makeWritableStream;
 
 function makeAuthorizedRequest(config) {
+  var GAE_OR_GCE = !config || (!config.credentials && !config.keyFile);
+
+  var missingCredentialsError = new Error();
+  missingCredentialsError.message = [
+    'A connection to gcloud must be established via either a `keyFilename` ',
+    'property or a `credentials` object.',
+    '\n\n',
+    'See the "Getting Started with gcloud" section for more information:',
+    '\n\n',
+    '\thttps://googlecloudplatform.github.io/gcloud-node/#/docs/',
+    '\n'
+  ].join('');
+
   var authorize = gsa(config);
 
   function makeRequest(reqOpts, callback) {
@@ -358,6 +371,12 @@ function makeAuthorizedRequest(config) {
 
     function onAuthorizedRequest(err, authorizedReqOpts) {
       if (err) {
+        if (GAE_OR_GCE && err.code === 'ENOTFOUND') {
+          // The metadata server wasn't found. The user must not actually be in
+          // a GAE or GCE environment.
+          throw missingCredentialsError;
+        }
+
         if (err.code === 401 &&
             ++tokenRefreshAttempts <= MAX_TOKEN_REFRESH_ATTEMPTS) {
           authorize(reqOpts, onAuthorizedRequest);
diff --git a/test/common/util.js b/test/common/util.js
index 3cb82b85758..44d4ab0fbac 100644
--- a/test/common/util.js
+++ b/test/common/util.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
  * limitations under the License.
  */
 
-/*global describe, it */
+/*global describe, it, beforeEach */
 
 'use strict';
 
@@ -48,6 +48,10 @@ function fakeRequest() {
 }
 
 describe('common/util', function() {
+  beforeEach(function() {
+    gsa_Override = null;
+  });
+
   describe('arrayize', function() {
     it('should arrayize if the input is not an array', function(done) {
       var o = util.arrayize('text');
@@ -320,6 +324,22 @@ describe('common/util', function() {
         });
       });
 
+      it('should throw if not GCE/GAE & missing credentials', function() {
+        gsa_Override = function() {
+          return function authorize(reqOpts, callback) {
+            // Simulate the metadata server not existing.
+            callback({ code: 'ENOTFOUND' });
+          };
+        };
+
+        assert.throws(function() {
+          // Don't provide a keyFile or credentials object.
+          var connectionConfig = {};
+          var makeRequest = util.makeAuthorizedRequest(connectionConfig);
+          makeRequest({}, util.noop);
+        }, /A connection to gcloud must be established/);
+      });
+
       it('should handle malformed key response', function(done) {
         var makeRequest = util.makeAuthorizedRequest({
           credentials: {