diff --git a/decoy/spy_core.py b/decoy/spy_core.py
index c683b9a..a2b8fd0 100644
--- a/decoy/spy_core.py
+++ b/decoy/spy_core.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 from typing import Any, Dict, NamedTuple, Optional, Tuple, Type, Union, get_type_hints
 
 from .spy_events import SpyInfo
-from .warnings import IncorrectCallWarning
+from .warnings import IncorrectCallWarning, MissingSpecAttributeWarning
 
 
 class _FROM_SOURCE:
@@ -136,6 +136,13 @@ def create_child_core(self, name: str, is_async: bool) -> "SpyCore":
                     # signature reporting by wrapping it in a partial
                     child_source = functools.partial(child_source, None)
 
+        if child_source is None and source is not None:
+            # stacklevel: 4 ensures warning is linked to call location
+            warnings.warn(
+                MissingSpecAttributeWarning(f"{self._name} has no attribute '{name}'"),
+                stacklevel=4,
+            )
+
         return SpyCore(
             source=child_source,
             name=child_name,
diff --git a/decoy/warnings.py b/decoy/warnings.py
index f49f555..140301e 100644
--- a/decoy/warnings.py
+++ b/decoy/warnings.py
@@ -95,3 +95,13 @@ class IncorrectCallWarning(DecoyWarning):
 
     [IncorrectCallWarning guide]: usage/errors-and-warnings.md#incorrectcallwarning
     """
+
+
+class MissingSpecAttributeWarning(DecoyWarning):
+    """A warning raised if a Decoy mock with a spec is used with a missing attribute.
+
+    This will become an error in the next major version of Decoy.
+    See the [MissingSpecAttributeWarning guide][] for more details.
+
+    [MissingSpecAttributeWarning guide]: usage/errors-and-warnings.md#missingspecattributewarning
+    """
diff --git a/docs/usage/errors-and-warnings.md b/docs/usage/errors-and-warnings.md
index a55aa79..1f61071 100644
--- a/docs/usage/errors-and-warnings.md
+++ b/docs/usage/errors-and-warnings.md
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ If Decoy detects a `verify` with the same configuration of a `when`, it will rai
 
 If you provide a Decoy mock with a specification `cls` or `func`, any calls to that mock will be checked according to `inspect.signature`. If the call does not match the signature, Decoy will raise a [decoy.warnings.IncorrectCallWarning][].
 
-While Decoy will merely issue a warning, this call would likely cause the Python engine to error at runtime and should not be ignored.
+While Decoy will merely issue a warning, this call would likely cause the Python engine to error at runtime and should not be ignored. In the next major version of Decoy, this warning will become an error.
 
 ```python
 def some_func(val: string) -> int:
@@ -200,3 +200,27 @@ spy(val="world")            # ok
 spy(wrong_name="ah!")       # triggers an IncorrectCallWarning
 spy("too", "many", "args")  # triggers an IncorrectCallWarning
 ```
+
+### MissingSpecAttributeWarning
+
+If you provide a Decoy mock with a specification `cls` or `func` and you attempt to access an attribute of the mock that does not exist on the specification, Decoy will raise a [decoy.warnings.MissingSpecAttributeWarning][].
+
+While Decoy will merely issue a warning, this call would likely cause the Python engine to error at runtime and should not be ignored. In the next major version of Decoy, this warning will become an error.
+
+```python
+class SomeClass:
+    def foo(self, val: str) -> str:
+        ...
+
+def some_func(val: string) -> int:
+    ...
+
+class_spy = decoy.mock(cls=SomeClass)
+func_spy = decoy.mock(func=some_func)
+
+class_spy.foo("hello")  # ok
+class_spy.bar("world")  # triggers a MissingSpecAttributeWarning
+
+func_spy("hello")       # ok
+func_spy.foo("world")   # triggers a MissingSpecAttributeWarning
+```
diff --git a/tests/test_spy_core.py b/tests/test_spy_core.py
index 14ed30b..934386f 100644
--- a/tests/test_spy_core.py
+++ b/tests/test_spy_core.py
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 """Tests for SpyCore instances."""
 import pytest
 import inspect
+import warnings
 from typing import Any, Dict, NamedTuple, Optional, Tuple, Type
 
 from decoy.spy_core import SpyCore, BoundArgs
-from decoy.warnings import IncorrectCallWarning
+from decoy.warnings import IncorrectCallWarning, MissingSpecAttributeWarning
 from .fixtures import (
     SomeClass,
     SomeAsyncClass,
@@ -439,3 +440,32 @@ def test_warn_if_called_incorrectly() -> None:
 
     with pytest.warns(IncorrectCallWarning, match="missing a required argument"):
         subject.bind_args(wrong_arg_name="1")
+
+
+def test_warn_if_spec_does_not_have_method() -> None:
+    """It should trigger a warning if bound_args is called incorrectly."""
+    class_subject = SpyCore(source=SomeClass, name=None)
+    func_subject = SpyCore(source=some_func, name=None)
+    specless_subject = SpyCore(source=None, name="anonymous")
+
+    # specless mocks and correct usage should not warn
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("error")
+        specless_subject.create_child_core("foo", False)
+
+    # proper class usage should not warn
+    with warnings.catch_warnings():
+        warnings.simplefilter("error")
+        class_subject.create_child_core("foo", False)
+
+    # incorrect class usage should warn
+    with pytest.warns(
+        MissingSpecAttributeWarning, match="has no attribute 'this_is_wrong'"
+    ):
+        class_subject.create_child_core("this_is_wrong", False)
+
+    # incorrect function usage should warn
+    with pytest.warns(
+        MissingSpecAttributeWarning, match="has no attribute 'this_is_wrong'"
+    ):
+        func_subject.create_child_core("this_is_wrong", False)