diff --git a/sqlspec/driver/_common.py b/sqlspec/driver/_common.py
index 0cb2e7b9..afdad1ed 100644
--- a/sqlspec/driver/_common.py
+++ b/sqlspec/driver/_common.py
@@ -985,6 +985,13 @@ def _create_count_query(self, original_sql: "SQL") -> "SQL":
         expr = original_sql.expression
 
         if isinstance(expr, exp.Select):
+            if not expr.args.get("from"):
+                msg = (
+                    "Cannot create COUNT query: SELECT statement missing FROM clause. "
+                    "COUNT queries require a FROM clause to determine which table to count rows from."
+                )
+                raise ImproperConfigurationError(msg)
+
             if expr.args.get("group"):
                 subquery = expr.subquery(alias="grouped_data")
                 count_expr = exp.select(exp.Count(this=exp.Star())).from_(subquery)
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_driver/test_count_query_edge_cases.py b/tests/unit/test_driver/test_count_query_edge_cases.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68527710
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_driver/test_count_query_edge_cases.py
@@ -0,0 +1,233 @@
+"""Tests for _create_count_query edge cases and validation.
+
+This module tests COUNT query generation validation, particularly for edge cases
+where SELECT statements are missing required clauses (FROM, etc.).
+"""
+
+# pyright: reportPrivateUsage=false
+
+import pytest
+
+from sqlspec.core import SQL, StatementConfig
+from sqlspec.driver._sync import SyncDriverAdapterBase
+from sqlspec.exceptions import ImproperConfigurationError
+
+
+class MockSyncDriver(SyncDriverAdapterBase):
+    """Mock driver for testing _create_count_query method."""
+
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.statement_config = StatementConfig()
+
+    @property
+    def connection(self):
+        return None
+
+    def _execute_statement(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def _execute_many(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def with_cursor(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def handle_database_exceptions(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def create_connection(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def close_connection(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def begin(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def commit(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def rollback(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    def _try_special_handling(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+    @property
+    def data_dictionary(self):
+        raise NotImplementedError("Mock driver - not implemented")
+
+
+class TestCountQueryValidation:
+    """Test COUNT query generation validation."""
+
+    def test_count_query_missing_from_clause_with_order_by(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query fails with clear error when FROM clause missing (ORDER BY only).
+
+        This is the reported bug scenario from upstream.
+        """
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(SQL("SELECT * ORDER BY id"), statement_config=driver.statement_config)
+        sql.compile()  # Parse the SQL to populate expression
+
+        with pytest.raises(ImproperConfigurationError, match="missing FROM clause"):
+            driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+    def test_count_query_missing_from_clause_with_where(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query fails when only WHERE clause present (no FROM)."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(SQL("SELECT * WHERE active = true"), statement_config=driver.statement_config)
+        sql.compile()
+
+        with pytest.raises(ImproperConfigurationError, match="missing FROM clause"):
+            driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+    def test_count_query_select_star_no_from(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query fails for SELECT * without FROM clause."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(SQL("SELECT *"), statement_config=driver.statement_config)
+        sql.compile()
+
+        with pytest.raises(ImproperConfigurationError, match="missing FROM clause"):
+            driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+    def test_count_query_select_columns_no_from(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query fails for SELECT columns without FROM clause."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(SQL("SELECT id, name"), statement_config=driver.statement_config)
+        sql.compile()
+
+        with pytest.raises(ImproperConfigurationError, match="missing FROM clause"):
+            driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+    def test_count_query_valid_select_with_from(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query succeeds with valid SELECT...FROM."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(SQL("SELECT * FROM users ORDER BY id"), statement_config=driver.statement_config)
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "COUNT(*)" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "FROM users" in count_str or "FROM USERS" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "ORDER BY" not in count_str.upper()
+
+    def test_count_query_with_where_and_from(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query preserves WHERE clause when FROM present."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(
+            SQL("SELECT * FROM users WHERE active = true ORDER BY id"), statement_config=driver.statement_config
+        )
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "COUNT(*)" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "FROM users" in count_str or "FROM USERS" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "WHERE" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "active" in count_str or "ACTIVE" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "ORDER BY" not in count_str.upper()
+
+    def test_count_query_with_group_by(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query wraps grouped query in subquery."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(
+            SQL("SELECT status, COUNT(*) FROM users GROUP BY status"), statement_config=driver.statement_config
+        )
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "COUNT(*)" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "grouped_data" in count_str.lower()
+
+    def test_count_query_removes_limit_offset(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query removes LIMIT and OFFSET clauses."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(
+            SQL("SELECT * FROM users ORDER BY id LIMIT 10 OFFSET 20"), statement_config=driver.statement_config
+        )
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "LIMIT" not in count_str.upper()
+        assert "OFFSET" not in count_str.upper()
+        assert "ORDER BY" not in count_str.upper()
+
+    def test_count_query_with_having(self) -> None:
+        """Test COUNT query preserves HAVING clause."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(
+            SQL("SELECT status, COUNT(*) as cnt FROM users GROUP BY status HAVING cnt > 5"),
+            statement_config=driver.statement_config,
+        )
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "COUNT(*)" in count_str.upper()
+
+
+class TestCountQueryEdgeCases:
+    """Test COUNT query edge cases that previously caused issues."""
+
+    def test_complex_select_with_join(self) -> None:
+        """Test complex SELECT with JOIN generates correct COUNT."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(
+            SQL("""
+                SELECT u.id, u.name, o.total
+                FROM users u
+                JOIN orders o ON u.id = o.user_id
+                WHERE u.active = true
+                AND o.total > 100
+                ORDER BY o.total DESC
+                LIMIT 10
+            """),
+            statement_config=driver.statement_config,
+        )
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "COUNT(*)" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "FROM users" in count_str or "FROM USERS" in count_str.upper()
+        assert "ORDER BY" not in count_str.upper()
+        assert "LIMIT" not in count_str.upper()
+
+    def test_select_with_subquery_in_from(self) -> None:
+        """Test SELECT with subquery in FROM clause."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(
+            SQL("""
+                SELECT t.id
+                FROM (SELECT id FROM users WHERE active = true) t
+                ORDER BY t.id
+            """),
+            statement_config=driver.statement_config,
+        )
+        sql.compile()
+
+        count_sql = driver._create_count_query(sql)
+
+        count_str = str(count_sql)
+        assert "COUNT(*)" in count_str.upper()
+
+    def test_error_message_clarity(self) -> None:
+        """Test that error message explains why FROM clause is required."""
+        driver = MockSyncDriver()
+        sql = driver.prepare_statement(SQL("SELECT * ORDER BY id"), statement_config=driver.statement_config)
+        sql.compile()
+
+        with pytest.raises(
+            ImproperConfigurationError,
+            match="COUNT queries require a FROM clause to determine which table to count rows from",
+        ):
+            driver._create_count_query(sql)