diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactRootView.java b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactRootView.java
index 60073966c..0e03a2606 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactRootView.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactRootView.java
@@ -80,7 +80,19 @@ public class ReactRootView extends SizeMonitoringFrameLayout implements RootView
 
   @Override
   protected void onMeasure(int widthMeasureSpec, int heightMeasureSpec) {
-    super.onMeasure(widthMeasureSpec, heightMeasureSpec);
+    int widthMode = MeasureSpec.getMode(widthMeasureSpec);
+    int heightMode = MeasureSpec.getMode(heightMeasureSpec);
+
+    if (widthMode == MeasureSpec.UNSPECIFIED || heightMode == MeasureSpec.UNSPECIFIED) {
+      throw new IllegalStateException(
+          "The root catalyst view must have a width and height given to it by it's parent view. " +
+          "You can do this by specifying MATCH_PARENT or explicit width and height in the " +
+          "layout. widthMode=" + widthMode + ", heightMode=" + heightMode);
+    }
+
+    setMeasuredDimension(
+        MeasureSpec.getSize(widthMeasureSpec),
+        MeasureSpec.getSize(heightMeasureSpec));
 
     mWasMeasured = true;
     // Check if we were waiting for onMeasure to attach the root view