diff --git a/lib/rules/require-render-return.js b/lib/rules/require-render-return.js
index 1c82cb90ee..28082846df 100644
--- a/lib/rules/require-render-return.js
+++ b/lib/rules/require-render-return.js
@@ -22,6 +22,38 @@ module.exports = Components.detect(function(context, components, utils) {
     });
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Get properties for a given AST node
+   * @param {ASTNode} node The AST node being checked.
+   * @returns {Array} Properties array.
+   */
+  function getComponentProperties(node) {
+    switch (node.type) {
+      case 'ClassDeclaration':
+        return node.body.body;
+      case 'ObjectExpression':
+        return node.properties;
+      default:
+        return [];
+    }
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Check if a given AST node has a render method
+   * @param {ASTNode} node The AST node being checked.
+   * @returns {Boolean} True if there is a render method, false if not
+   */
+  function hasRenderMethod(node) {
+    var properties = getComponentProperties(node);
+    for (var i = 0, j = properties.length; i < j; i++) {
+      if (properties[i].key.name !== 'render') {
+        continue;
+      }
+      return properties[i].value.type === 'FunctionExpression';
+    }
+    return false;
+  }
+
   return {
     ReturnStatement: function(node) {
       var ancestors = context.getAncestors(node).reverse();
@@ -46,6 +78,7 @@ module.exports = Components.detect(function(context, components, utils) {
       for (var component in list) {
         if (
           !list.hasOwnProperty(component) ||
+          !hasRenderMethod(list[component].node) ||
           list[component].hasReturnStatement ||
           (!utils.isES5Component(list[component].node) && !utils.isES6Component(list[component].node))
         ) {
diff --git a/tests/lib/rules/require-render-return.js b/tests/lib/rules/require-render-return.js
index d29960b2fc..f6e0665037 100644
--- a/tests/lib/rules/require-render-return.js
+++ b/tests/lib/rules/require-render-return.js
@@ -93,6 +93,23 @@ ruleTester.run('require-render-return', rule, {
       '}'
     ].join('\n'),
     parserOptions: parserOptions
+  }, {
+    // ES6 class without a render method
+    code: 'class Hello extends React.Component {}',
+    parserOptions: parserOptions
+  }, {
+    // ES5 class without a render method
+    code: 'var Hello = React.createClass({});',
+    parserOptions: parserOptions
+  }, {
+    // ES5 class with an imported render method
+    code: [
+      'var render = require(\'./render\');',
+      'var Hello = React.createClass({',
+      '  render',
+      '});'
+    ].join('\n'),
+    parserOptions: parserOptions
   }],
 
   invalid: [{