diff --git a/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java b/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java
index fd5650475169..92e0d07eb8f3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java
@@ -97,11 +97,20 @@ protected List<FrameworkMethod> computeTestMethods() {
 	protected void collectInitializationErrors(List<Throwable> errors) {
 		super.collectInitializationErrors(errors);
 
+		validateNoNonStaticInnerClass(errors);
 		validateConstructor(errors);
 		validateInstanceMethods(errors);
 		validateFields(errors);
 	}
 
+	protected void validateNoNonStaticInnerClass(List<Throwable> errors) {
+		if (getTestClass().isANonStaticInnerClass()) {
+			String gripe= "The inner class " + getTestClass().getName()
+					+ " is not static.";
+			errors.add(new Exception(gripe));
+		}
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Adds to {@code errors} if the test class has more than one constructor,
 	 * or if the constructor takes parameters. Override if a subclass requires
@@ -128,8 +137,9 @@ protected void validateOnlyOneConstructor(List<Throwable> errors) {
 	 * parameters (do not override)
 	 */
 	protected void validateZeroArgConstructor(List<Throwable> errors) {
-		if (hasOneConstructor()
-				&& !(getTestClass().getOnlyConstructor().getParameterTypes().length == 0)) {
+		if (!getTestClass().isANonStaticInnerClass()
+				&& hasOneConstructor()
+				&& (getTestClass().getOnlyConstructor().getParameterTypes().length != 0)) {
 			String gripe= "Test class should have exactly one public zero-argument constructor";
 			errors.add(new Exception(gripe));
 		}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/model/TestClass.java b/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/model/TestClass.java
index 891059ab821e..362a13af2360 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/model/TestClass.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/junit/runners/model/TestClass.java
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package org.junit.runners.model;
 
+import static java.lang.reflect.Modifier.isStatic;
+
 import java.lang.annotation.Annotation;
 import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
 import java.lang.reflect.Field;
@@ -150,4 +152,8 @@ public <T> List<T> getAnnotatedFieldValues(Object test,
 		}
 		return results;
 	}
+
+	public boolean isANonStaticInnerClass() {
+		return fClass.isMemberClass() && !isStatic(fClass.getModifiers());
+	}
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/AllTests.java b/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/AllTests.java
index bca56f309bdb..2d459f110d44 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/AllTests.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/AllTests.java
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
 import org.junit.tests.manipulation.FilterableTest;
 import org.junit.tests.manipulation.SingleMethodTest;
 import org.junit.tests.manipulation.SortableTest;
+import org.junit.tests.running.classes.BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest;
 import org.junit.tests.running.classes.EnclosedTest;
 import org.junit.tests.running.classes.IgnoreClassTest;
 import org.junit.tests.running.classes.ParameterizedTestTest;
@@ -152,6 +153,7 @@
 	CategoriesAndParameterizedTest.class,
 	ParentRunnerFilteringTest.class,
 	RuleChainTest.class,
+	BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest.class,
 	BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerOverrideTest.class
 })
 public class AllTests {
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest.java b/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a19cd94e0c8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package org.junit.tests.running.classes;
+
+import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
+
+import java.util.List;
+
+import org.junit.Test;
+import org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner;
+import org.junit.runners.model.InitializationError;
+
+public class BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest {
+	public static class OuterClass {
+		public class Enclosed {
+			@Test
+			public void test() {
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void detectNonStaticEnclosedClass() throws Exception {
+		try {
+			new BlockJUnit4ClassRunner(OuterClass.Enclosed.class);
+		} catch (InitializationError e) {
+			List<Throwable> causes= e.getCauses();
+			assertEquals("Wrong number of causes.", 1, causes.size());
+			assertEquals(
+					"Wrong exception.",
+					"The inner class org.junit.tests.running.classes.BlockJUnit4ClassRunnerTest$OuterClass$Enclosed is not static.",
+					causes.get(0).getMessage());
+		}
+	}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/TestClassTest.java b/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/TestClassTest.java
index c31413bed865..7b738d9f40f1 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/TestClassTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/junit/tests/running/classes/TestClassTest.java
@@ -83,4 +83,39 @@ public void fieldsOnSubclassesShadowSuperclasses() {
 		assertThat(new TestClass(SubclassWithField.class).getAnnotatedFields(
 				Rule.class).size(), is(1));
 	}
+
+	public static class OuterClass {
+		public class NonStaticInnerClass {
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void identifyNonStaticInnerClass() {
+		assertThat(
+				new TestClass(OuterClass.NonStaticInnerClass.class)
+						.isANonStaticInnerClass(),
+				is(true));
+	}
+
+	public static class OuterClass2 {
+		public static class StaticInnerClass {
+		}
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void dontMarkStaticInnerClassAsNonStatic() {
+		assertThat(
+				new TestClass(OuterClass2.StaticInnerClass.class)
+						.isANonStaticInnerClass(),
+				is(false));
+	}
+
+	public static class SimpleClass {
+	}
+
+	@Test
+	public void dontMarkNonInnerClassAsInnerClass() {
+		assertThat(new TestClass(SimpleClass.class).isANonStaticInnerClass(),
+				is(false));
+	}
 }