diff --git a/example/tests/test_relations.py b/example/tests/test_relations.py
index bf2bfed7..1fe5b537 100644
--- a/example/tests/test_relations.py
+++ b/example/tests/test_relations.py
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 from rest_framework_json_api.exceptions import Conflict
 from rest_framework_json_api.utils import format_relation_name
 from example.models import Blog, Entry, Comment, Author
+from example.serializers import CommentSerializer
 from rest_framework_json_api.relations import ResourceRelatedField
 
 
@@ -115,6 +116,15 @@ def test_read_only(self):
         serializer.is_valid(raise_exception=True)
         self.assertNotIn('comment_set', serializer.validated_data)
 
+    def test_invalid_resource_id_object(self):
+        comment = {'body': 'testing 123', 'entry': {'type': 'entry'}, 'author': {'id': '5'}}
+        serializer = CommentSerializer(data=comment)
+        assert not serializer.is_valid()
+        assert serializer.errors == {
+            'author': ["Invalid resource identifier object: missing 'type' attribute"],
+            'entry': ["Invalid resource identifier object: missing 'id' attribute"]
+        }
+
 
 class BlogFKSerializer(serializers.Serializer):
     blog = ResourceRelatedField(queryset=Blog.objects)
diff --git a/rest_framework_json_api/relations.py b/rest_framework_json_api/relations.py
index 61b9ecd7..bd53b205 100644
--- a/rest_framework_json_api/relations.py
+++ b/rest_framework_json_api/relations.py
@@ -19,6 +19,8 @@ class ResourceRelatedField(PrimaryKeyRelatedField):
         'does_not_exist': _('Invalid pk "{pk_value}" - object does not exist.'),
         'incorrect_type': _('Incorrect type. Expected resource identifier object, received {data_type}.'),
         'incorrect_relation_type': _('Incorrect relation type. Expected {relation_type}, received {received_type}.'),
+        'missing_type': _('Invalid resource identifier object: missing \'type\' attribute'),
+        'missing_id': _('Invalid resource identifier object: missing \'id\' attribute'),
         'no_match': _('Invalid hyperlink - No URL match.'),
     }
 
@@ -117,8 +119,16 @@ def to_internal_value(self, data):
         if not isinstance(data, dict):
             self.fail('incorrect_type', data_type=type(data).__name__)
         expected_relation_type = get_resource_type_from_queryset(self.queryset)
+
+        if 'type' not in data:
+            self.fail('missing_type')
+
+        if 'id' not in data:
+            self.fail('missing_id')
+
         if data['type'] != expected_relation_type:
             self.conflict('incorrect_relation_type', relation_type=expected_relation_type, received_type=data['type'])
+
         return super(ResourceRelatedField, self).to_internal_value(data['id'])
 
     def to_representation(self, value):