diff --git a/locust/core.py b/locust/core.py
index 63cfe7807e..c228af1970 100644
--- a/locust/core.py
+++ b/locust/core.py
@@ -465,6 +465,8 @@ def schedule_task(self, task_callable, args=None, kwargs=None, first=False):
             self._task_queue.append(task)
     
     def get_next_task(self):
+        if not self.tasks:
+            raise Exception("No tasks defined. use the @task decorator or set the tasks property of the TaskSet")
         return random.choice(self.tasks)
     
     def wait_time(self):
diff --git a/locust/test/test_locust_class.py b/locust/test/test_locust_class.py
index 0a3d378b4f..df621d741a 100644
--- a/locust/test/test_locust_class.py
+++ b/locust/test/test_locust_class.py
@@ -31,6 +31,20 @@ class MyTasks(TaskSet):
         self.assertEqual(t1_count, 5)
         self.assertEqual(t2_count, 2)
     
+    def test_tasks_missing_gives_user_friendly_exception(self):
+        class User(Locust):
+            wait_time = constant(0)
+            tasks = None
+            _catch_exceptions = False
+        
+        class MyTasks(TaskSet):
+            tasks = None
+
+        l = MyTasks(User(self.environment))
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(Exception, "No tasks defined.*", l.run)
+        l.tasks = None
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(Exception, "No tasks defined.*", l.run)
+
     def test_task_decorator_ratio(self):
         t1 = lambda l: None
         t2 = lambda l: None
@@ -178,6 +192,7 @@ def t1(self):
         taskset = MyTaskSet3(self.locust)
         self.assertEqual(len(taskset.tasks), 3)
     
+    
     def test_wait_function(self):
         class MyTaskSet(TaskSet):
             a = 1