diff --git a/lib/i18n.js b/lib/i18n.js
index 152f4801..6fb9dde1 100644
--- a/lib/i18n.js
+++ b/lib/i18n.js
@@ -195,6 +195,8 @@
     var tagName = attrs.tagName;
     delete attrs.tagName;
 
+    warn("Ember.I18n t helper called with unquoted key: %@. In the future, this will be treated as a bound property, not a string literal.".fmt(key), options.types[0] === 'STRING');
+
     var translationView = TranslationView.create({
       context: attrs,
       translationKey: key,
diff --git a/spec/translateHelperSpec.js b/spec/translateHelperSpec.js
index 45525ecd..ec46a0c6 100644
--- a/spec/translateHelperSpec.js
+++ b/spec/translateHelperSpec.js
@@ -13,6 +13,19 @@ describe('{{t}}', function() {
     });
   });
 
+  it('emits a warning on unquoted keys', function() {
+    var spy = sinon.spy(Ember.Logger, 'warn');
+
+    var view = this.renderTemplate('{{t foo.bar}}');
+
+    Ember.run(function() {
+      expect(spy.callCount).to.equal(1);
+      expect(spy.lastCall.args[0]).to.match(/unquoted/);
+      expect(spy.lastCall.args[0]).to.match(/foo\.bar/);
+      expect(view.$().text()).to.equal('A Foobar');
+    });
+  });
+
   it('interpolates values', function() {
     var view = this.renderTemplate('{{t "bars.all" count="597"}}');