diff --git a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Controller/InternalController.php b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Controller/InternalController.php
index 641deb7683..ce674b190c 100644
--- a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Controller/InternalController.php
+++ b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Controller/InternalController.php
@@ -31,6 +31,35 @@ class InternalController extends ContainerAware
      */
     public function indexAction($path, $controller)
     {
+        // safeguard
+        if (!is_string($controller)) {
+            throw new \RuntimeException('A Controller must be a string.');
+        }
+
+        // check that the controller looks like a controller
+        if (false === strpos($controller, '::')) {
+            $count = substr_count($controller, ':');
+            if (2 == $count) {
+                // the convention already enforces the Controller suffix
+            } elseif (1 == $count) {
+                // controller in the service:method notation
+                list($service, $method) = explode(':', $controller, 2);
+                $class = get_class($this->container->get($service));
+
+                if (!preg_match('/Controller$/', $class)) {
+                    throw new \RuntimeException('A Controller class name must end with Controller.');
+                }
+            } else {
+                throw new \LogicException('Unable to parse the Controller name.');
+            }
+        } else {
+            list($class, $method) = explode('::', $controller, 2);
+
+            if (!preg_match('/Controller$/', $class)) {
+                throw new \RuntimeException('A Controller class name must end with Controller.');
+            }
+        }
+
         $request = $this->container->get('request');
         $attributes = $request->attributes;
 
diff --git a/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/Controller/InternalControllerTest.php b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/Controller/InternalControllerTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2b35ff1424
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Symfony/Bundle/FrameworkBundle/Tests/Controller/InternalControllerTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+<?php
+
+/*
+ * This file is part of the Symfony package.
+ *
+ * (c) Fabien Potencier <fabien@symfony.com>
+ *
+ * For the full copyright and license information, please view the LICENSE
+ * file that was distributed with this source code.
+ */
+
+namespace Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Tests\Controller;
+
+use Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Controller\InternalController;
+use Symfony\Bundle\FrameworkBundle\Tests\TestCase;
+use Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Request;
+
+class InternalControllerTest extends TestCase
+{
+    /**
+     * @expectedException        \RuntimeException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage A Controller class name must end with Controller.
+     */
+    public function testWithAClassMethodController()
+    {
+        $container = $this->getMock('Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface');
+
+        $controller = new InternalController();
+        $controller->setContainer($container);
+
+        $controller->indexAction('/', 'Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Request::getPathInfo');
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @expectedException        \RuntimeException
+     * @expectedExceptionMessage A Controller class name must end with Controller.
+     */
+    public function testWithAServiceController()
+    {
+        $container = $this->getMock('Symfony\Component\DependencyInjection\ContainerInterface');
+        $container
+            ->expects($this->once())
+            ->method('get')
+            ->will($this->returnValue(new Request()))
+        ;
+
+        $controller = new InternalController();
+        $controller->setContainer($container);
+
+        $controller->indexAction('/', 'service:method');
+    }
+}