diff --git a/lib/src/dart_dev_cli.dart b/lib/src/dart_dev_cli.dart
index ca79846b..d282207b 100644
--- a/lib/src/dart_dev_cli.dart
+++ b/lib/src/dart_dev_cli.dart
@@ -170,9 +170,15 @@ Future _run(List<String> args) async {
 
   TaskConfig config = _cliConfigs[task];
   await runAll(config.before);
-  CliResult result =
-      await _cliTasks[task].run(env.command, color: env['color']);
-  await runAll(config.after);
+  CliResult result;
+  try {
+    result = await _cliTasks[task].run(env.command, color: env['color']);
+    await runAll(config.after);
+  } on ArgumentError catch (e) {
+    reporter.error(e.message, shout: true);
+    exitCode = 1;
+    return;
+  }
 
   reporter.log('');
   if (result.successful) {
diff --git a/lib/src/tasks/test/api.dart b/lib/src/tasks/test/api.dart
index 6ae6e2a6..e25aeeea 100644
--- a/lib/src/tasks/test/api.dart
+++ b/lib/src/tasks/test/api.dart
@@ -32,8 +32,21 @@ TestTask test(
     List<String> tests: const []}) {
   final executable = 'pub';
   final args = <String>[];
-  if (dartMajorVersion == 2 && hasImmediateDependency('build_test')) {
-    args.addAll(['run', 'build_runner', 'test', '--']);
+
+  if (dartMajorVersion == 2) {
+    var invalidPlatforms = new Set.from(['dartium', 'content-shell']);
+    var foundInvalidPlatforms =
+        invalidPlatforms.intersection(platforms.toSet());
+    if (foundInvalidPlatforms.isNotEmpty) {
+      throw new ArgumentError(
+          'Test platforms that are incompatible with Dart 2 detected: $foundInvalidPlatforms');
+    }
+
+    if (hasImmediateDependency('build_test')) {
+      args.addAll(['run', 'build_runner', 'test', '--']);
+    } else {
+      args.addAll(['run', 'test']);
+    }
   } else {
     args.addAll(['run', 'test']);
   }
diff --git a/test/integration/test_test.dart b/test/integration/test_test.dart
index fc99dbac..31d380c7 100644
--- a/test/integration/test_test.dart
+++ b/test/integration/test_test.dart
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ Future<int> runTests(String projectPath,
     String testName: '',
     bool runCustomPubServe: false,
     int pubServePort: 56090,
-    String webCompiler}) async {
+    String webCompiler,
+    String platform}) async {
   await Process.run('pub', ['get'], workingDirectory: projectPath);
 
   final args = <String>['run', 'dart_dev', 'test', '--no-color'];
@@ -93,6 +94,10 @@ Future<int> runTests(String projectPath,
     args.add(webCompilerArg);
   }
 
+  if (platform != null) {
+    args.addAll(['-p', platform]);
+  }
+
   TaskProcess process =
       new TaskProcess('pub', args, workingDirectory: projectPath);
 
@@ -245,5 +250,25 @@ void main() {
           await runTests(projectThatNeedsBuildRunner, expectBuildRunner: true),
           equals(1));
     }, tags: 'dart2-only');
+
+    test('should fail if using dartium on Dart2', () async {
+      expect(runTests(projectWithPassingTests, platform: 'dartium'),
+          throwsA(new isInstanceOf<TestFailure>()));
+    }, tags: 'dart2-only');
+
+    test('should fail if using content-shell on Dart2', () async {
+      expect(runTests(projectWithPassingTests, platform: 'content-shell'),
+          throwsA(new isInstanceOf<TestFailure>()));
+    }, tags: 'dart2-only');
+
+    test('should not fail if using dartium on Dart1', () async {
+      expect(await runTests(projectWithPassingTests, platform: 'dartium'),
+          equals(1));
+    }, tags: 'dart1-only');
+
+    test('should not fail if using content-shell on Dart1', () async {
+      expect(await runTests(projectWithPassingTests, platform: 'content-shell'),
+          equals(1));
+    }, tags: 'dart1-only');
   });
 }