diff --git a/rq/exceptions.py b/rq/exceptions.py
index 530733d..ebb6b3b 100644
--- a/rq/exceptions.py
+++ b/rq/exceptions.py
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ class NoSuchJobError(Exception):
     pass
 
 
+class InvalidJobDependency(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 class InvalidJobOperationError(Exception):
     pass
 
diff --git a/rq/queue.py b/rq/queue.py
index e5d3df8..1b8aacc 100644
--- a/rq/queue.py
+++ b/rq/queue.py
@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ from redis import WatchError
 from .compat import as_text, string_types, total_ordering
 from .connections import resolve_connection
 from .defaults import DEFAULT_RESULT_TTL
-from .exceptions import (DequeueTimeout, InvalidJobOperationError,
-                         NoSuchJobError, UnpickleError)
+from .exceptions import (DequeueTimeout, InvalidJobDependency,
+                         InvalidJobOperationError, NoSuchJobError, UnpickleError)
 from .job import Job, JobStatus
 from .utils import import_attribute, utcnow
 
@@ -202,6 +202,13 @@ class Queue(object):
                 while True:
                     try:
                         pipe.watch(depends_on.key)
+
+                        # If the dependency does not exist, we raise an
+                        # exception. So the caller is able to avoid an orphaned
+                        # job.
+                        if not self.job_class.exists(depends_on.id):
+                            raise InvalidJobDependency('Job {0} does not exist'.format(depends_on.id))
+
                         if depends_on.get_status() != JobStatus.FINISHED:
                             pipe.multi()
                             job.set_status(JobStatus.DEFERRED)
diff --git a/tests/test_queue.py b/tests/test_queue.py
index b62fddc..2edb163 100644
--- a/tests/test_queue.py
+++ b/tests/test_queue.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from tests.fixtures import (div_by_zero, echo, Number, say_hello,
                             some_calculation)
 
 from rq import get_failed_queue, Queue
-from rq.exceptions import InvalidJobOperationError
+from rq.exceptions import InvalidJobDependency, InvalidJobOperationError
 from rq.job import Job, JobStatus
 from rq.registry import DeferredJobRegistry
 from rq.worker import Worker
@@ -401,6 +401,7 @@ class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
         """Jobs are enqueued only when their dependencies are finished."""
         # Job with unfinished dependency is not immediately enqueued
         parent_job = Job.create(func=say_hello)
+        parent_job.save()
         q = Queue()
         job = q.enqueue_call(say_hello, depends_on=parent_job)
         self.assertEqual(q.job_ids, [])
@@ -417,6 +418,7 @@ class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
     def test_enqueue_job_with_dependency_by_id(self):
         """Can specify job dependency with job object or job id."""
         parent_job = Job.create(func=say_hello)
+        parent_job.save()
 
         q = Queue()
         q.enqueue_call(say_hello, depends_on=parent_job.id)
@@ -433,6 +435,7 @@ class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
         """Jobs remember their timeout when enqueued as a dependency."""
         # Job with unfinished dependency is not immediately enqueued
         parent_job = Job.create(func=say_hello)
+        parent_job.save()
         q = Queue()
         job = q.enqueue_call(say_hello, depends_on=parent_job, timeout=123)
         self.assertEqual(q.job_ids, [])
@@ -445,6 +448,20 @@ class TestQueue(RQTestCase):
         self.assertEqual(q.job_ids, [job.id])
         self.assertEqual(job.timeout, 123)
 
+    def test_enqueue_job_with_invalid_dependency(self):
+        """Enqueuing a job fails, if the dependency does not exist at all."""
+        parent_job = Job.create(func=say_hello)
+        # without save() the job is not visible to others
+
+        q = Queue()
+        with self.assertRaises(InvalidJobDependency):
+            q.enqueue_call(say_hello, depends_on=parent_job)
+
+        with self.assertRaises(InvalidJobDependency):
+            q.enqueue_call(say_hello, depends_on=parent_job.id)
+
+        self.assertEqual(q.job_ids, [])
+
 
 class TestFailedQueue(RQTestCase):
     def test_requeue_job(self):