diff --git a/addon/serializers/embedded-records-mixin.js b/addon/serializers/embedded-records-mixin.js
index 8285321a3e0..70801baf119 100644
--- a/addon/serializers/embedded-records-mixin.js
+++ b/addon/serializers/embedded-records-mixin.js
@@ -608,5 +608,6 @@ export default Ember.Mixin.create({
     let serializer = store.serializerFor(modelName);
 
     return serializer.normalize(modelClass, relationshipHash, null);
-  }
+  },
+  isEmbeddedRecordsMixin: true
 });
diff --git a/addon/serializers/json-api.js b/addon/serializers/json-api.js
index a811ed4b5c0..3c940b1113f 100644
--- a/addon/serializers/json-api.js
+++ b/addon/serializers/json-api.js
@@ -500,6 +500,11 @@ const JSONAPISerializer = JSONSerializer.extend({
 
 runInDebug(function() {
   JSONAPISerializer.reopen({
+    willMergeMixin(props) {
+      warn('The JSONAPISerializer does not work with the EmbeddedRecordsMixin because the JSON API spec does not describe how to format embedded resources.', !props.isEmbeddedRecordsMixin, {
+        id: 'ds.serializer.embedded-records-mixin-not-supported'
+      });
+    },
     warnMessageForUndefinedType() {
       return 'Encountered a resource object with an undefined type (resolved resource using ' + this.constructor.toString() + ')';
     },
diff --git a/tests/integration/serializers/json-api-serializer-test.js b/tests/integration/serializers/json-api-serializer-test.js
index 0cbdb900577..ac13e34c6b5 100644
--- a/tests/integration/serializers/json-api-serializer-test.js
+++ b/tests/integration/serializers/json-api-serializer-test.js
@@ -260,3 +260,10 @@ test('Serializer should respect the attrs hash when serializing attributes with
 
   assert.equal(payload.data.attributes['company_name'], 'Tilde Inc.');
 });
+
+
+testInDebug('JSON warns when combined with EmbeddedRecordsMixin', function(assert) {
+  assert.expectWarning(function() {
+    DS.JSONAPISerializer.extend(DS.EmbeddedRecordsMixin).create();
+  }, /The JSONAPISerializer does not work with the EmbeddedRecordsMixin/);
+});