diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
index 9e50a9fbcb8..261e5a8127b 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_model.py
@@ -328,6 +328,22 @@ class ir_model_fields(osv.osv):
             self.readonly = True
             self.copy = False
 
+    @api.constrains('depends')
+    def _check_depends(self):
+        """ Check whether all fields in dependencies are valid. """
+        for record in self:
+            for seq in (record.depends or "").split(","):
+                model = self.env[record.model]
+                names = seq.strip().split(".")
+                last = len(names) - 1
+                for index, name in enumerate(names):
+                    field = model._fields.get(name)
+                    if field is None:
+                        raise UserError(_("Unknown field %r in dependency %r") % (name, seq.strip()))
+                    if index < last and not field.relational:
+                        raise UserError(_("Non-relational field %r in dependency %r") % (name, seq.strip()))
+                    model = model[name]
+
     @api.onchange('compute')
     def _onchange_compute(self):
         if self.compute: