diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb
index 5b122dec..a4fd6a07 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher.rb
@@ -1144,6 +1144,7 @@ module Shoulda
           @subject = subject
           association_exists? &&
             macro_correct? &&
+            validate_inverse_of_through_association &&
             (polymorphic? || class_exists?) &&
             foreign_key_exists? &&
             primary_key_exists? &&
@@ -1198,7 +1199,14 @@ module Shoulda
         end
 
         def expectation
-          "#{model_class.name} to have a #{macro} association called #{name}"
+          expectation =
+            "#{model_class.name} to have a #{macro} association called #{name}"
+
+          if through?
+            expectation << " through #{reflector.has_and_belongs_to_many_name}"
+          end
+
+          expectation
         end
 
         def missing_options
@@ -1241,6 +1249,14 @@ module Shoulda
           end
         end
 
+        def validate_inverse_of_through_association
+          reflector.validate_inverse_of_through_association!
+          true
+        rescue ::ActiveRecord::ActiveRecordError => error
+          @missing = error.message
+          false
+        end
+
         def macro_supports_primary_key?
           macro == :belongs_to ||
             ([:has_many, :has_one].include?(macro) && !through?)
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflection.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflection.rb
index 882808f4..7a27ccae 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflection.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflection.rb
@@ -65,16 +65,22 @@ module Shoulda
             end
           end
 
+          def validate_inverse_of_through_association!
+            if through?
+              reflection.check_validity!
+            end
+          end
+
+          def has_and_belongs_to_many_name
+            reflection.options[:through]
+          end
+
           protected
 
           attr_reader :reflection, :subject
 
           private
 
-          def has_and_belongs_to_many_name
-            reflection.options[:through]
-          end
-
           def has_and_belongs_to_many_name_table_name
             if has_and_belongs_to_many_reflection
               has_and_belongs_to_many_reflection.table_name
diff --git a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb
index 0d0503c9..8927bc32 100644
--- a/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb
+++ b/lib/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matchers/model_reflector.rb
@@ -4,9 +4,23 @@ module Shoulda
       module AssociationMatchers
         # @private
         class ModelReflector
-          delegate :associated_class, :through?, :join_table_name,
-            :association_relation, :polymorphic?, :foreign_key,
-            :association_foreign_key, to: :reflection
+          delegate(
+            :associated_class,
+            :association_foreign_key,
+            :association_relation,
+            :foreign_key,
+            :has_and_belongs_to_many_name,
+            :join_table_name,
+            :polymorphic?,
+            :validate_inverse_of_through_association!,
+            to: :reflection
+          )
+
+          delegate(
+            :through?,
+            to: :reflection,
+            allow_nil: true
+          )
 
           def initialize(subject, name)
             @subject = subject
diff --git a/spec/unit/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher_spec.rb b/spec/unit/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher_spec.rb
index 29f5a20a..eb32d265 100644
--- a/spec/unit/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/shoulda/matchers/active_record/association_matcher_spec.rb
@@ -847,6 +847,15 @@ describe Shoulda::Matchers::ActiveRecord::AssociationMatcher, type: :model do
       expect(having_many_children).to have_many(:children)
     end
 
+    it 'does not reject a non-:through association where there is no belongs_to in the inverse model' do
+      define_model :Child, parent_id: :integer
+      parent_class = define_model :Parent do
+        has_many :children
+      end
+
+      expect { have_many(:children) }.to match_against(parent_class.new)
+    end
+
     it 'accepts a valid association with a :through option' do
       define_model :child
       define_model :conception, child_id: :integer,
@@ -860,6 +869,21 @@ describe Shoulda::Matchers::ActiveRecord::AssociationMatcher, type: :model do
       expect(Parent.new).to have_many(:children)
     end
 
+    it 'rejects a :through association where there is no belongs_to in the inverse model' do
+      define_model :Child
+      define_model :Conception, child_id: :integer, parent_id: :integer
+      parent_class = define_model :Parent do
+        has_many :conceptions
+        has_many :children, through: :conceptions
+      end
+
+      expect { have_many(:children) }
+        .not_to match_against(parent_class.new)
+        .and_fail_with(<<-MESSAGE)
+Expected Parent to have a has_many association called children through conceptions (Could not find the source association(s) "child" or :children in model Conception. Try 'has_many :children, :through => :conceptions, :source => <name>'. Is it one of ?)
+        MESSAGE
+    end
+
     it 'accepts a valid association with an :as option' do
       define_model :child, guardian_type: :string, guardian_id: :integer
       define_model :parent do