diff --git a/wp-includes/pluggable.php b/wp-includes/pluggable.php
index ebcdb6fb1..3001433b8 100644
--- a/wp-includes/pluggable.php
+++ b/wp-includes/pluggable.php
@@ -866,6 +866,9 @@ if ( !function_exists('check_admin_referer') ) :
  * @param string $query_arg where to look for nonce in $_REQUEST (since 2.5)
  */
 function check_admin_referer($action = -1, $query_arg = '_wpnonce') {
+	if ( -1 == $action )
+		_doing_it_wrong( __FUNCTION__, __( 'You should specify a nonce action to be verified by using the first parameter.' ), '3.2' );
+
 	$adminurl = strtolower(admin_url());
 	$referer = strtolower(wp_get_referer());
 	$result = isset($_REQUEST[$query_arg]) ? wp_verify_nonce($_REQUEST[$query_arg], $action) : false;