diff --git a/index.js b/index.js
index a070e93b0b..b93ddfe5a3 100644
--- a/index.js
+++ b/index.js
@@ -1270,6 +1270,9 @@ var createClient = function (port_arg, host_arg, options) {
             if (parsed.auth) {
                 options.auth_pass = parsed.auth.split(':')[1];
             }
+            if (parsed.protocol !== 'redis:') {
+                throw new Error('Connection string must use the "redis:" protocol');
+            }
             options.host = parsed.hostname;
             options.port = parsed.port;
         } else {
diff --git a/test/connection.spec.js b/test/connection.spec.js
index ee883f60b6..1c70f62021 100644
--- a/test/connection.spec.js
+++ b/test/connection.spec.js
@@ -307,6 +307,18 @@ describe("connection tests", function () {
                     }
                 });
 
+                it("throws on protocol other than redis in the redis url", function () {
+                    client = {
+                        end: function() {}
+                    };
+                    try {
+                        redis.createClient(config.HOST[ip] + ':' + config.PORT);
+                        throw new Error('failed');
+                    } catch (err) {
+                        assert.equal(err.message, 'Connection string must use the "redis:" protocol');
+                    }
+                });
+
                 if (ip === 'IPv4') {
                     it('allows connecting with the redis url and the default port', function (done) {
                         client = redis.createClient('redis://foo:porkchopsandwiches@' + config.HOST[ip]);