diff --git a/src/Illuminate/Database/Query/Builder.php b/src/Illuminate/Database/Query/Builder.php
index 9ec882ed3231..b4da92901801 100755
--- a/src/Illuminate/Database/Query/Builder.php
+++ b/src/Illuminate/Database/Query/Builder.php
@@ -228,11 +228,7 @@ public function select($columns = ['*'])
         $columns = is_array($columns) ? $columns : func_get_args();
 
         foreach ($columns as $as => $column) {
-            if (is_string($as) && (
-                $column instanceof self ||
-                $column instanceof EloquentBuilder ||
-                $column instanceof Closure
-            )) {
+            if (is_string($as) && $this->isQueryable($column)) {
                 $this->selectSub($column, $as);
             } else {
                 $this->columns[] = $column;
@@ -335,6 +331,8 @@ protected function createSub($query)
      *
      * @param  mixed  $query
      * @return array
+     *
+     * @throws \InvalidArgumentException
      */
     protected function parseSub($query)
     {
@@ -343,10 +341,25 @@ protected function parseSub($query)
         } elseif (is_string($query)) {
             return [$query, []];
         } else {
-            throw new InvalidArgumentException;
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException(
+                'The subquery must be an instance of Closure or Builder, or a string.'
+            );
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Determine if the value is a query builder instance or a closure.
+     *
+     * @param  mixed  $value
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    protected function isQueryable($value)
+    {
+        return $value instanceof self ||
+               $value instanceof EloquentBuilder ||
+               $value instanceof Closure;
+    }
+
     /**
      * Add a new select column to the query.
      *
@@ -358,11 +371,7 @@ public function addSelect($column)
         $columns = is_array($column) ? $column : func_get_args();
 
         foreach ($columns as $as => $column) {
-            if (is_string($as) && (
-                $column instanceof self ||
-                $column instanceof EloquentBuilder ||
-                $column instanceof Closure
-            )) {
+            if (is_string($as) && $this->isQueryable($column)) {
                 if (is_null($this->columns)) {
                     $this->select($this->from.'.*');
                 }
@@ -403,9 +412,7 @@ public function distinct()
      */
     public function from($table, $as = null)
     {
-        if ($table instanceof self ||
-            $table instanceof EloquentBuilder ||
-            $table instanceof Closure) {
+        if ($this->isQueryable($table)) {
             return $this->fromSub($table, $as);
         }
 
@@ -890,9 +897,7 @@ public function whereIn($column, $values, $boolean = 'and', $not = false)
         // If the value is a query builder instance we will assume the developer wants to
         // look for any values that exists within this given query. So we will add the
         // query accordingly so that this query is properly executed when it is run.
-        if ($values instanceof self ||
-            $values instanceof EloquentBuilder ||
-            $values instanceof Closure) {
+        if ($this->isQueryable($values)) {
             [$query, $bindings] = $this->createSub($values);
 
             $values = [new Expression($query)];
@@ -1806,9 +1811,7 @@ public function orHavingRaw($sql, array $bindings = [])
      */
     public function orderBy($column, $direction = 'asc')
     {
-        if ($column instanceof self ||
-            $column instanceof EloquentBuilder ||
-            $column instanceof Closure) {
+        if ($this->isQueryable($column)) {
             [$query, $bindings] = $this->createSub($column);
 
             $column = new Expression('('.$query.')');
diff --git a/tests/Database/DatabaseQueryBuilderTest.php b/tests/Database/DatabaseQueryBuilderTest.php
index 97308d83388d..8fec745f6268 100755
--- a/tests/Database/DatabaseQueryBuilderTest.php
+++ b/tests/Database/DatabaseQueryBuilderTest.php
@@ -1658,6 +1658,10 @@ public function testJoinSub()
         $expected .= 'inner join (select * from "contacts" where "name" = ?) as "sub2" on "users"."id" = "sub2"."user_id"';
         $this->assertEquals($expected, $builder->toSql());
         $this->assertEquals(['foo', 1, 'bar'], $builder->getRawBindings()['join']);
+
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getBuilder();
+        $builder->from('users')->joinSub(['foo'], 'sub', 'users.id', '=', 'sub.id');
     }
 
     public function testJoinSubWithPrefix()
@@ -1673,6 +1677,10 @@ public function testLeftJoinSub()
         $builder = $this->getBuilder();
         $builder->from('users')->leftJoinSub($this->getBuilder()->from('contacts'), 'sub', 'users.id', '=', 'sub.id');
         $this->assertSame('select * from "users" left join (select * from "contacts") as "sub" on "users"."id" = "sub"."id"', $builder->toSql());
+
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getBuilder();
+        $builder->from('users')->leftJoinSub(['foo'], 'sub', 'users.id', '=', 'sub.id');
     }
 
     public function testRightJoinSub()
@@ -1680,6 +1688,10 @@ public function testRightJoinSub()
         $builder = $this->getBuilder();
         $builder->from('users')->rightJoinSub($this->getBuilder()->from('contacts'), 'sub', 'users.id', '=', 'sub.id');
         $this->assertSame('select * from "users" right join (select * from "contacts") as "sub" on "users"."id" = "sub"."id"', $builder->toSql());
+
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getBuilder();
+        $builder->from('users')->rightJoinSub(['foo'], 'sub', 'users.id', '=', 'sub.id');
     }
 
     public function testRawExpressionsInSelect()
@@ -1917,6 +1929,13 @@ function (Builder $query) {
         $this->assertEquals(1, $result);
     }
 
+    public function testInsertUsingInvalidSubquery()
+    {
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getBuilder();
+        $builder->from('table1')->insertUsing(['foo'], ['bar']);
+    }
+
     public function testInsertOrIgnoreMethod()
     {
         $this->expectException(RuntimeException::class);
@@ -2869,6 +2888,10 @@ public function testSubSelect()
         $builder->selectSub($subBuilder, 'sub');
         $this->assertEquals($expectedSql, $builder->toSql());
         $this->assertEquals($expectedBindings, $builder->getBindings());
+
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getPostgresBuilder();
+        $builder->selectSub(['foo'], 'sub');
     }
 
     public function testSqlServerWhereDate()
@@ -3421,6 +3444,10 @@ public function testFromSub()
         }, 'sessions')->where('bar', '<', '10');
         $this->assertSame('select * from (select max(last_seen_at) as last_seen_at from "user_sessions" where "foo" = ?) as "sessions" where "bar" < ?', $builder->toSql());
         $this->assertEquals(['1', '10'], $builder->getBindings());
+
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getBuilder();
+        $builder->fromSub(['invalid'], 'sessions')->where('bar', '<', '10');
     }
 
     public function testFromSubWithPrefix()
@@ -3441,6 +3468,10 @@ public function testFromSubWithoutBindings()
             $query->select(new Raw('max(last_seen_at) as last_seen_at'))->from('user_sessions');
         }, 'sessions');
         $this->assertSame('select * from (select max(last_seen_at) as last_seen_at from "user_sessions") as "sessions"', $builder->toSql());
+
+        $this->expectException(InvalidArgumentException::class);
+        $builder = $this->getBuilder();
+        $builder->fromSub(['invalid'], 'sessions');
     }
 
     public function testFromRaw()