diff --git a/pytest_django/plugin.py b/pytest_django/plugin.py
index 31a967aac..5caef3ad8 100644
--- a/pytest_django/plugin.py
+++ b/pytest_django/plugin.py
@@ -327,6 +327,75 @@ def restore():
         request.addfinalizer(restore)
 
 
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True, scope='session')
+def _fail_for_invalid_template_variable(request):
+    """Fixture that fails for invalid variables in templates.
+
+    This fixture will fail each test that uses django template rendering
+    should at template contain an invalid template variable.
+
+    It does not raise an exception, but fails, as the stack trace doesn't
+    offer any helpful information to debug.
+    This behavior can be switched of using the marker:
+    ``ignore_template_errors``
+    """
+    class InvalidVarException(object):
+
+        """Custom handler for invalid strings in templates."""
+
+        def __contains__(self, key):
+            """There is a test for '%s' in TEMPLATE_STRING_IF_INVALID."""
+            return key == '%s'
+
+        def _get_template(self):
+            import inspect
+            from functools import reduce
+
+            from django.template import Template
+
+            stack = inspect.stack()
+            # finding the ``render`` needle in the stack
+            frame = reduce(
+                lambda x, y: y[3] == 'render' and 'base.py' in y[1] and y or x,
+                stack
+            )
+            # assert 0, stack
+            frame = frame[0]
+            # finding only the frame locals in all frame members
+            f_locals = reduce(
+                lambda x, y: y[0] == 'f_locals' and y or x,
+                inspect.getmembers(frame)
+            )[1]
+            # ``django.template.base.Template``
+            template = f_locals['self']
+            if isinstance(template, Template):
+                return template
+
+        def __mod__(self, var):
+            """Handle TEMPLATE_STRING_IF_INVALID % var."""
+            template = self._get_template()
+            if template:
+                msg = "Undefined template variable '%s' in '%s'" % (var, template.name)
+            else:
+                msg = "Undefined template variable '%s'" % var
+            pytest.fail(msg, pytrace=False)
+
+    if django_settings_is_configured():
+        from django.conf import settings
+
+        settings.TEMPLATE_STRING_IF_INVALID = InvalidVarException()
+
+
+@pytest.fixture(autouse=True)
+def _template_string_if_invalid_marker(request):
+    """Apply the @pytest.mark.ignore_template_errors marker,
+     internal to pytest-django."""
+    marker = request.keywords.get('ignore_template_errors', None)
+    if marker and django_settings_is_configured():
+        from django.conf import settings
+
+        settings.TEMPLATE_STRING_IF_INVALID = None
+
 # ############### Helper Functions ################
 
 
diff --git a/tests/test_environment.py b/tests/test_environment.py
index b7c40ce7b..c784f6c02 100644
--- a/tests/test_environment.py
+++ b/tests/test_environment.py
@@ -28,6 +28,59 @@ def test_mail_again():
     test_mail()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.django_project(extra_settings="""
+    INSTALLED_APPS = [
+        'tpkg.app',
+    ]
+    TEMPLATE_LOADERS = (
+        'django.template.loaders.filesystem.Loader',
+        'django.template.loaders.app_directories.Loader',
+    )
+    TEMPLATE_DIRS = (
+    )
+    ROOT_URLCONF = 'tpkg.app.urls'
+    """)
+def test_invalid_template_variable(django_testdir):
+    django_testdir.create_app_file("""
+        try:
+            from django.conf.urls import patterns  # Django >1.4
+        except ImportError:
+            from django.conf.urls.defaults import patterns  # Django 1.3
+
+        urlpatterns = patterns(
+            '',
+            (r'invalid_template/', 'tpkg.app.views.invalid_template'),
+        )
+        """, 'urls.py')
+    django_testdir.create_app_file("""
+        from django.shortcuts import render
+
+
+        def invalid_template(request):
+            return render(request, 'invalid_template.html', {})
+        """, 'views.py')
+    django_testdir.create_app_file(
+        "<div>{{ invalid_var }}</div>",
+        'templates/invalid_template.html'
+    )
+    django_testdir.create_test_module('''
+        import pytest
+
+        def test_for_invalid_template(client):
+            client.get('/invalid_template/')
+
+        @pytest.mark.ignore_template_errors
+        def test_ignore(client):
+            client.get('/invalid_template/')
+        ''')
+    result = django_testdir.runpytest('-s')
+    result.stdout.fnmatch_lines_random([
+        "tpkg/test_the_test.py F.",
+        "Undefined template variable 'invalid_var' in 'invalid_template.html'",
+        ])
+
+
+
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_database_rollback():
     assert Item.objects.count() == 0