diff --git a/src/__tests__/index.node.js b/src/__tests__/index.node.js
index caf1178d..7b3442a4 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/index.node.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/index.node.js
@@ -608,3 +608,22 @@ test('enable proxy flag', async t => {
   t.equal(app._app.proxy, true, 'fusion proxy should be true by default');
   t.end();
 });
+
+test('registering a plugin as a middleware should throw', async t => {
+  const simplePlugin = createPlugin({
+    middleware: () => {
+      return (ctx, next) => {
+        return next();
+      };
+    },
+  });
+
+  const app = new BaseApp('el', el => el);
+  try {
+    // $FlowFixMe
+    app.middleware(simplePlugin);
+  } catch (e) {
+    t.equals(e.message, 'Cannot register plugin as a middleware');
+    t.end();
+  }
+});
diff --git a/src/base-app.js b/src/base-app.js
index 3f3e990b..ff878507 100644
--- a/src/base-app.js
+++ b/src/base-app.js
@@ -112,8 +112,12 @@ class FusionApp {
   }
   middleware(deps: *, middleware: *) {
     if (middleware === undefined) {
+      if (deps.__plugin__ === true) {
+        throw new Error('Cannot register plugin as a middleware');
+      }
       middleware = () => deps;
     }
+
     this.register(createPlugin({deps, middleware}));
   }
   enhance<TResolved>(token: Token<TResolved>, enhancer: Function) {