diff --git a/lib/Cake/View/View.php b/lib/Cake/View/View.php
index ce35bae0f17..0e8b04b31af 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/View/View.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/View/View.php
@@ -827,12 +827,10 @@ protected function _render($viewFile, $data = array()) {
 			$data = $this->viewVars;
 		}
 		$this->_current = $viewFile;
+		$initialBlocks = count($this->Blocks->unclosed());
 
 		$this->getEventManager()->dispatch(new CakeEvent('View.beforeRenderFile', $this, array($viewFile)));
 		$content = $this->_evaluate($viewFile, $data);
-		if ($this->Blocks->active()) {
-			throw new CakeException(__d('cake_dev', 'The "%s" block was left open.', $this->Blocks->active()));
-		}
 		$afterEvent = new CakeEvent('View.afterRenderFile', $this, array($viewFile, $content));
 		//TODO: For BC puporses, set extra info in the event object. Remove when appropriate
 		$afterEvent->modParams = 1;
@@ -843,11 +841,16 @@ protected function _render($viewFile, $data = array()) {
 			$this->_stack[] = $this->fetch('content');
 			$this->assign('content', $content);
 
-			$content = $this->_render($this->_parents[$viewFile], $data);
-
+			$content = $this->_render($this->_parents[$viewFile]);
 			$this->assign('content', array_pop($this->_stack));
 		}
 
+		$remainingBlocks = count($this->Blocks->unclosed());
+
+		if ($initialBlocks !== $remainingBlocks) {
+			throw new CakeException(__d('cake_dev', 'The "%s" block was left open. Blocks are not allowed to cross files.', $this->Blocks->active()));
+		}
+
 		return $content;
 	}
 
diff --git a/lib/Cake/View/ViewBlock.php b/lib/Cake/View/ViewBlock.php
index 51f5e77bb12..fe725f25c51 100644
--- a/lib/Cake/View/ViewBlock.php
+++ b/lib/Cake/View/ViewBlock.php
@@ -145,4 +145,13 @@ public function keys() {
 	public function active() {
 		return end($this->_active);
 	}
+
+/**
+ * Get the names of the unclosed/active blocks.
+ *
+ * @return array An array of unclosed blocks.
+ */
+	public function unclosed() {
+		return $this->_active;
+	}
 }