diff --git a/legacy/eobj/src/lib/eo.c b/legacy/eobj/src/lib/eo.c
index 4f8d73863c..42f5f3d990 100644
--- a/legacy/eobj/src/lib/eo.c
+++ b/legacy/eobj/src/lib/eo.c
@@ -941,6 +941,23 @@ eo_class_new(const Eo_Class_Description *desc, Eo_Class_Id id, const Eo_Class *p
         klass->data_offset = klass->parent->data_offset +
            EO_ALIGN_SIZE(klass->parent->desc->data_size);
      }
+   /* EO_BASE_CLASS is allowed not to have a parent. */
+   else if (id != EO_BASE_CLASS_ID)
+     {
+        /* No parent. */
+        switch (klass->desc->type)
+          {
+           case EO_CLASS_TYPE_REGULAR:
+           case EO_CLASS_TYPE_REGULAR_NO_INSTANT:
+              ERR("Regular classes ('%s') must inherit from EO_BASE_CLASS.", klass->desc->name);
+              goto cleanup;
+              break;
+           case EO_CLASS_TYPE_INTERFACE:
+           case EO_CLASS_TYPE_MIXIN:
+              /* Do nothing. */
+              break;
+          }
+     }
 
    if (!_eo_class_check_op_descs(klass, id))
      {
diff --git a/legacy/eobj/src/tests/eo_suite/eo_test_class_errors.c b/legacy/eobj/src/tests/eo_suite/eo_test_class_errors.c
index 4f503361f1..c7b9c70006 100644
--- a/legacy/eobj/src/tests/eo_suite/eo_test_class_errors.c
+++ b/legacy/eobj/src/tests/eo_suite/eo_test_class_errors.c
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ START_TEST(eo_incomplete_desc)
    fail_if(klass);
 
    /* Should create a class. */
-   klass = eo_class_new(&class_desc, 0, NULL, NULL);
+   klass = eo_class_new(&class_desc, 0, EO_BASE_CLASS, NULL);
    fail_if(!klass);
 
    (void) klass;
@@ -132,7 +132,7 @@ START_TEST(eo_inherit_errors)
    klass_mixin = eo_class_new(&class_desc_mixin, 0, NULL, NULL);
    fail_if(!klass_mixin);
 
-   klass_simple = eo_class_new(&class_desc_simple, 0, NULL, NULL);
+   klass_simple = eo_class_new(&class_desc_simple, 0, EO_BASE_CLASS, NULL);
    fail_if(!klass_simple);
 
    klass = eo_class_new(&class_desc, 0, klass_simple, NULL);