diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/decorators.py b/django/contrib/admin/decorators.py
index 5862bb5536..8b30139ea3 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/decorators.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/decorators.py
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@ def register(*models, **kwargs):
     from django.contrib.admin.sites import site, AdminSite
 
     def _model_admin_wrapper(admin_class):
+        if not models:
+            raise ValueError('At least one model must be passed to register.')
+
         admin_site = kwargs.pop('site', site)
 
         if not isinstance(admin_site, AdminSite):
diff --git a/tests/admin_registration/tests.py b/tests/admin_registration/tests.py
index 7471c521d6..202fed86e3 100644
--- a/tests/admin_registration/tests.py
+++ b/tests/admin_registration/tests.py
@@ -133,3 +133,7 @@ class TestRegistrationDecorator(SimpleTestCase):
     def test_custom_site_not_an_admin_site(self):
         self.assertRaisesMessage(ValueError, 'site must subclass AdminSite',
             register(Person, site=Traveler), NameAdmin)
+
+    def test_empty_models_list_registration_fails(self):
+        with self.assertRaisesMessage(ValueError, 'At least one model must be passed to register.'):
+            register()(NameAdmin)