diff --git a/django/core/checks/urls.py b/django/core/checks/urls.py
index 176cd16190..1b4db4b921 100644
--- a/django/core/checks/urls.py
+++ b/django/core/checks/urls.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 from __future__ import unicode_literals
 
+import six
+
 from django.conf import settings
 
-from . import Tags, Warning, register
+from . import Error, Tags, Warning, register
 
 
 @register(Tags.urls)
@@ -27,12 +29,41 @@ def check_resolver(resolver):
             warnings.extend(check_resolver(pattern))
         elif isinstance(pattern, RegexURLPattern):
             warnings.extend(check_pattern_name(pattern))
+        else:
+            # This is not a url() instance
+            warnings.extend(get_warning_for_invalid_pattern(pattern))
 
-        warnings.extend(check_pattern_startswith_slash(pattern))
+        if not warnings:
+            warnings.extend(check_pattern_startswith_slash(pattern))
 
     return warnings
 
 
+def get_warning_for_invalid_pattern(pattern):
+    """
+    Return a list containing a warning that the pattern is invalid.
+
+    describe_pattern() cannot be used here, because we cannot rely on the
+    urlpattern having regex or name attributes.
+    """
+    if isinstance(pattern, six.string_types):
+        hint = (
+            "Try removing the string '{}'. The list of urlpatterns should not "
+            "have a prefix string as the first element.".format(pattern)
+        )
+    elif isinstance(pattern, tuple):
+        hint = "Try using url() instead of a tuple."
+    else:
+        hint = None
+
+    return [Error(
+        "Your URL pattern {!r} is invalid. Ensure that urlpatterns is a list "
+        "of url() instances.".format(pattern),
+        hint=hint,
+        id="urls.E004",
+    )]
+
+
 def describe_pattern(pattern):
     """
     Format the URL pattern for display in warning messages.
diff --git a/docs/ref/checks.txt b/docs/ref/checks.txt
index 7c15bbeb7b..486b88cc2e 100644
--- a/docs/ref/checks.txt
+++ b/docs/ref/checks.txt
@@ -631,3 +631,5 @@ The following checks are performed on your URL configuration:
 * **urls.W003**: Your URL pattern ``<pattern>`` has a ``name``
   including a ``:``. Remove the colon, to avoid ambiguous namespace
   references.
+* **urls.E004**: Your URL pattern ``<pattern>`` is invalid. Ensure that
+  ``urlpatterns`` is a list of :func:`~django.conf.urls.url()` instances.
diff --git a/tests/check_framework/test_urls.py b/tests/check_framework/test_urls.py
index a0c113aac3..a1ac727057 100644
--- a/tests/check_framework/test_urls.py
+++ b/tests/check_framework/test_urls.py
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 from django.conf import settings
-from django.core.checks.urls import check_url_config
+from django.core.checks.urls import (
+    check_url_config, get_warning_for_invalid_pattern,
+)
 from django.test import SimpleTestCase
 from django.test.utils import override_settings
 
@@ -27,6 +29,16 @@ class CheckUrlsTest(SimpleTestCase):
         expected_msg = "Your URL pattern '^include-with-dollar$' uses include with a regex ending with a '$'."
         self.assertIn(expected_msg, warning.msg)
 
+    @override_settings(ROOT_URLCONF='check_framework.urls.contains_tuple')
+    def test_contains_tuple_not_url_instance(self):
+        result = check_url_config(None)
+        warning = result[0]
+        self.assertEqual(warning.id, 'urls.E004')
+        self.assertRegexpMatches(warning.msg, (
+            r"^Your URL pattern \('\^tuple/\$', <function <lambda> at 0x(\w+)>\) is "
+            r"invalid. Ensure that urlpatterns is a list of url\(\) instances.$"
+        ))
+
     @override_settings(ROOT_URLCONF='check_framework.urls.beginning_with_slash')
     def test_beginning_with_slash(self):
         result = check_url_config(None)
@@ -50,3 +62,19 @@ class CheckUrlsTest(SimpleTestCase):
         delattr(settings, 'ROOT_URLCONF')
         result = check_url_config(None)
         self.assertEqual(result, [])
+
+    def test_get_warning_for_invalid_pattern_string(self):
+        warning = get_warning_for_invalid_pattern('')[0]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            warning.hint,
+            "Try removing the string ''. The list of urlpatterns should "
+            "not have a prefix string as the first element.",
+        )
+
+    def test_get_warning_for_invalid_pattern_tuple(self):
+        warning = get_warning_for_invalid_pattern((r'^$', lambda x: x))[0]
+        self.assertEqual(warning.hint, "Try using url() instead of a tuple.")
+
+    def test_get_warning_for_invalid_pattern_other(self):
+        warning = get_warning_for_invalid_pattern(object())[0]
+        self.assertIsNone(warning.hint)
diff --git a/tests/check_framework/urls/contains_tuple.py b/tests/check_framework/urls/contains_tuple.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..56aa3ea364
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/check_framework/urls/contains_tuple.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+urlpatterns = [
+    (r'^tuple/$', lambda x: x),
+]