diff --git a/spec/notification-spec.coffee b/spec/notification-spec.coffee
index 0ff4599a7..94f2123a3 100644
--- a/spec/notification-spec.coffee
+++ b/spec/notification-spec.coffee
@@ -3,6 +3,19 @@ Notification = require '../src/notification'
 describe "Notification", ->
   [notification] = []
 
+  it "throws an error when created with a non-string message", ->
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', null)).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', 3)).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', {})).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', false)).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', [])).toThrow()
+
+  it "throws an error when created with non-object options", ->
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', 'message', 'foo')).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', 'message', 3)).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', 'message', false)).toThrow()
+    expect(-> new Notification('error', 'message', [])).toThrow()
+
   describe "::getTimestamp()", ->
     it "returns a Date object", ->
       notification = new Notification('error', 'message!')
diff --git a/src/notification.coffee b/src/notification.coffee
index 9dfffc59a..023e4b9ac 100644
--- a/src/notification.coffee
+++ b/src/notification.coffee
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 {Emitter} = require 'event-kit'
+_ = require 'underscore-plus'
 
 # Public: A notification to the user containing a message and type.
 module.exports =
@@ -9,6 +10,14 @@ class Notification
     @dismissed = true
     @dismissed = false if @isDismissable()
     @displayed = false
+    @validate()
+
+  validate: ->
+    if typeof @message isnt 'string'
+      throw new Error("Notification must be created with string message: #{@message}")
+
+    unless _.isObject(@options) and not _.isArray(@options)
+      throw new Error("Notification must be created with an options object: #{@options}")
 
   onDidDismiss: (callback) ->
     @emitter.on 'did-dismiss', callback