diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 56a45f0b0..af1359d2a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,7 +4,10 @@
 
 ##### Enhancements
 
-* None.  
+* The linter rejects `default_subspecs` defined in subspecs of podspecs.
+  They were never taken into account for subspecs.  
+  [Marius Rackwitz](https://github.com/mrackwitz)
+  [Core#305](https://github.com/CocoaPods/Core/pull/305)
 
 ##### Bug Fixes
 
diff --git a/lib/cocoapods-core/specification.rb b/lib/cocoapods-core/specification.rb
index dd70c0873..082e49347 100644
--- a/lib/cocoapods-core/specification.rb
+++ b/lib/cocoapods-core/specification.rb
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ def subspec_by_name(relative_name, raise_if_missing = true)
       end
     end
 
-    # @return [Array] the name of the default subspecs if provided.
+    # @return [Array<String>] the name of the default subspecs if provided.
     #
     def default_subspecs
       # TODO: remove singular form and update the JSON specs.
@@ -259,6 +259,9 @@ def default_subspecs
     #         {#default_subspecs} or each of its children subspecs that are
     #         compatible with its platform.
     #
+    # @param  [Platform] platform
+    #         return only dependencies supported on the given platform.
+    #
     # @return [Array<Dependency>] the dependencies on subspecs.
     #
     def subspec_dependencies(platform = nil)
diff --git a/lib/cocoapods-core/specification/dsl.rb b/lib/cocoapods-core/specification/dsl.rb
index 3451e1626..b4d00e83b 100644
--- a/lib/cocoapods-core/specification/dsl.rb
+++ b/lib/cocoapods-core/specification/dsl.rb
@@ -1349,7 +1349,8 @@ def subspec(name, &block)
       attribute :default_subspecs,
                 :container => Array,
                 :singularize => true,
-                :multi_platform => false
+                :multi_platform => false,
+                :root_only => true
 
       #-----------------------------------------------------------------------#
 
diff --git a/spec/specification/dsl_spec.rb b/spec/specification/dsl_spec.rb
index 729346369..7a5743e25 100644
--- a/spec/specification/dsl_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/specification/dsl_spec.rb
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ module Pod
         @spec.attributes_hash['platforms']['ios'].should == '6.0'
       end
 
-      it "doesnt' allows to specify the deployment target without a platform" do
+      it "doesn't allows to specify the deployment target without a platform" do
         e = lambda { @spec.deployment_target = '6.0' }.should.raise Informative
         e.message.should.match /declared only per platform/
       end
diff --git a/spec/specification/linter_spec.rb b/spec/specification/linter_spec.rb
index e70d039c2..b934c6720 100644
--- a/spec/specification/linter_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/specification/linter_spec.rb
@@ -536,6 +536,13 @@ def result_should_include(*values)
         @subspec.module_map = 'subspec.modulemap'
         result_should_include('module_map', 'can\'t set', 'for subspecs')
       end
+
+      #------------------#
+
+      it 'fails a specification with a subspec with default subspecs' do
+        @subspec.default_subspecs = 'Spec'
+        result_should_include('default_subspecs', 'can\'t set', 'for subspecs')
+      end
     end
   end
 end