diff --git a/src/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js b/src/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js
index bd961d4d62..bb1f21066a 100644
--- a/src/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js
+++ b/src/classic/element/ReactElementValidator.js
@@ -362,7 +362,8 @@ function checkAndWarnForMutatedProps(element) {
  * @param {ReactElement} element
  */
 function validatePropTypes(element) {
-  if (element.type == null) {
+  if (!(typeof element.type === 'string' ||
+      typeof element.type === 'function')) {
     // This has already warned. Don't throw.
     return;
   }
@@ -398,11 +399,10 @@ var ReactElementValidator = {
   createElement: function(type, props, children) {
     // We warn in this case but don't throw. We expect the element creation to
     // succeed and there will likely be errors in render.
-    warning(
-      type != null,
-      'React.createElement: type should not be null or undefined. It should ' +
-        'be a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite ' +
-        'components).%s',
+    warning(typeof type === 'string' || typeof type === 'function',
+      'React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or ' +
+        'number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass ' +
+        '(for composite components).%s',
       getDeclarationErrorAddendum()
     );
 
diff --git a/src/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js b/src/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js
index bd908c4bf4..ef550c0ea4 100644
--- a/src/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js
+++ b/src/classic/element/__tests__/ReactElementValidator-test.js
@@ -258,26 +258,40 @@ describe('ReactElementValidator', function() {
     );
   });
 
-  it('gives a helpful error when passing null or undefined', function() {
+  it('gives a helpful error when passing null, undefined, boolean, or number',
+      () => {
     spyOn(console, 'error');
     React.createElement(undefined);
     React.createElement(null);
-    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(2);
+    React.createElement(true);
+    React.createElement(123);
+    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(4);
     expect(console.error.calls[0].args[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null or undefined. ' +
-      'It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for ' +
-      'composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
+      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
+      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
     );
     expect(console.error.calls[1].args[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null or undefined. ' +
-      'It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for ' +
-      'composite components).'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
+      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
+      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    );
+    expect(console.error.calls[2].args[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
+      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
+      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    );
+    expect(console.error.calls[3].args[0]).toBe(
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
+      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
+      'ReactClass (for composite components).'
     );
     React.createElement('div');
-    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(2);
+    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(4);
   });
 
-  it('includes the owner name when passing null or undefined', function() {
+  it('includes the owner name when passing null, undefined, boolean, or number',
+      () => {
     spyOn(console, 'error');
     var ParentComp = React.createClass({
       render: function() {
@@ -289,9 +303,10 @@ describe('ReactElementValidator', function() {
     }).toThrow();
     expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(2);
     expect(console.error.calls[0].args[0]).toBe(
-      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null or undefined. ' +
-      'It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for ' +
-      'composite components). Check the render method of `ParentComp`.'
+      'Warning: React.createElement: type should not be null, undefined, ' +
+      'boolean, or number. It should be a string (for DOM elements) or a ' +
+      'ReactClass (for composite components). Check the render method of ' +
+      '`ParentComp`.'
     );
     expect(console.error.calls[1].args[0]).toBe(
       'Warning: Only functions or strings can be mounted as React components.'
diff --git a/src/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js b/src/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js
index b3cf895158..1e15d2d3b9 100644
--- a/src/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js
+++ b/src/modern/element/__tests__/ReactJSXElementValidator-test.js
@@ -208,24 +208,36 @@ describe('ReactJSXElementValidator', function() {
     );
   });
 
-  it('gives a helpful error when passing null or undefined', function() {
+  it('gives a helpful error when passing null, undefined, or boolean', () => {
     var Undefined = undefined;
     var Null = null;
+    var True = true;
+    var Num = 123;
     var Div = 'div';
     spyOn(console, 'error');
     <Undefined />;
     <Null />;
-    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(2);
+    <True />;
+    <Num />;
+    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(4);
     expect(console.error.calls[0].args[0]).toContain(
-      'type should not be null or undefined. It should be a string (for ' +
-      'DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
+      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
     );
     expect(console.error.calls[1].args[0]).toContain(
-      'type should not be null or undefined. It should be a string (for ' +
-      'DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
+      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    );
+    expect(console.error.calls[2].args[0]).toContain(
+      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
+      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
+    );
+    expect(console.error.calls[3].args[0]).toContain(
+      'type should not be null, undefined, boolean, or number. It should be ' +
+      'a string (for DOM elements) or a ReactClass (for composite components).'
     );
     <Div />;
-    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(2);
+    expect(console.error.calls.length).toBe(4);
   });
 
   it('should check default prop values', function() {