diff --git a/django/views/decorators/debug.py b/django/views/decorators/debug.py
index 42a6d326619..18900ffca82 100644
--- a/django/views/decorators/debug.py
+++ b/django/views/decorators/debug.py
@@ -26,6 +26,12 @@ def sensitive_variables(*variables):
         def my_function()
             ...
     """
+    if len(variables) == 1 and callable(variables[0]):
+        raise TypeError(
+            'sensitive_variables() must be called to use it as a decorator, '
+            'e.g., use @sensitive_variables(), not @sensitive_variables.'
+        )
+
     def decorator(func):
         @functools.wraps(func)
         def sensitive_variables_wrapper(*func_args, **func_kwargs):
@@ -61,6 +67,13 @@ def sensitive_post_parameters(*parameters):
         def my_view(request)
             ...
     """
+    if len(parameters) == 1 and callable(parameters[0]):
+        raise TypeError(
+            'sensitive_post_parameters() must be called to use it as a '
+            'decorator, e.g., use @sensitive_post_parameters(), not '
+            '@sensitive_post_parameters.'
+        )
+
     def decorator(view):
         @functools.wraps(view)
         def sensitive_post_parameters_wrapper(request, *args, **kwargs):
diff --git a/tests/view_tests/tests/test_debug.py b/tests/view_tests/tests/test_debug.py
index 80c92cf8c36..9b6f66e9899 100644
--- a/tests/view_tests/tests/test_debug.py
+++ b/tests/view_tests/tests/test_debug.py
@@ -26,6 +26,9 @@ from django.views.debug import (
     Path as DebugPath, cleanse_setting, default_urlconf,
     technical_404_response, technical_500_response,
 )
+from django.views.decorators.debug import (
+    sensitive_post_parameters, sensitive_variables,
+)
 
 from ..views import (
     custom_exception_reporter_filter_view, index_page,
@@ -1272,3 +1275,26 @@ class HelperFunctionTests(SimpleTestCase):
         initial = {'login': 'cooper', 'password': 'secret'}
         expected = {'login': 'cooper', 'password': CLEANSED_SUBSTITUTE}
         self.assertEqual(cleanse_setting('SETTING_NAME', initial), expected)
+
+
+class DecoratorsTests(SimpleTestCase):
+    def test_sensitive_variables_not_called(self):
+        msg = (
+            'sensitive_variables() must be called to use it as a decorator, '
+            'e.g., use @sensitive_variables(), not @sensitive_variables.'
+        )
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(TypeError, msg):
+            @sensitive_variables
+            def test_func(password):
+                pass
+
+    def test_sensitive_post_parameters_not_called(self):
+        msg = (
+            'sensitive_post_parameters() must be called to use it as a '
+            'decorator, e.g., use @sensitive_post_parameters(), not '
+            '@sensitive_post_parameters.'
+        )
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(TypeError, msg):
+            @sensitive_post_parameters
+            def test_func(request):
+                return index_page(request)