diff --git a/awx/main/dispatch/worker/task.py b/awx/main/dispatch/worker/task.py
index d1273749a1..e63c7a224a 100644
--- a/awx/main/dispatch/worker/task.py
+++ b/awx/main/dispatch/worker/task.py
@@ -30,11 +30,18 @@ class TaskWorker(BaseWorker):
         awx.main.tasks.delete_inventory
         awx.main.tasks.RunProjectUpdate
         '''
+        if not task.startswith('awx.'):
+            raise ValueError('{} is not a valid awx task'.format(task))
         module, target = task.rsplit('.', 1)
         module = importlib.import_module(module)
         _call = None
         if hasattr(module, target):
             _call = getattr(module, target, None)
+        if not (
+            hasattr(_call, 'apply_async') and hasattr(_call, 'delay')
+        ):
+            raise ValueError('{} is not decorated with @task()'.format(task))
+
         return _call
 
     def run_callable(self, body):
@@ -78,6 +85,7 @@ class TaskWorker(BaseWorker):
         try:
             result = self.run_callable(body)
         except Exception as exc:
+            result = exc
 
             try:
                 if getattr(exc, 'is_awx_task_error', False):
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_dispatch.py b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_dispatch.py
index 3567d7d37a..e73f226bbc 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/functional/test_dispatch.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/functional/test_dispatch.py
@@ -14,6 +14,10 @@ from awx.main.dispatch.publish import task
 from awx.main.dispatch.worker import BaseWorker, TaskWorker
 
 
+def restricted(a, b):
+    raise AssertionError("This code should not run because it isn't decorated with @task")
+
+
 @task()
 def add(a, b):
     return a + b
@@ -25,6 +29,11 @@ class BaseTask(object):
         return add(a, b)
 
 
+class Restricted(object):
+    def run(self, a, b):
+        raise AssertionError("This code should not run because it isn't decorated with @task")
+
+
 @task()
 class Adder(BaseTask):
     def run(self, a, b):
@@ -262,6 +271,14 @@ class TestTaskDispatcher:
         })
         assert result == 4
 
+    def test_function_dispatch_must_be_decorated(self):
+        result = self.tm.perform_work({
+            'task': 'awx.main.tests.functional.test_dispatch.restricted',
+            'args': [2, 2]
+        })
+        assert isinstance(result, ValueError)
+        assert result.message == 'awx.main.tests.functional.test_dispatch.restricted is not decorated with @task()'  # noqa
+
     def test_method_dispatch(self):
         result = self.tm.perform_work({
             'task': 'awx.main.tests.functional.test_dispatch.Adder',
@@ -269,6 +286,29 @@ class TestTaskDispatcher:
         })
         assert result == 4
 
+    def test_method_dispatch_must_be_decorated(self):
+        result = self.tm.perform_work({
+            'task': 'awx.main.tests.functional.test_dispatch.Restricted',
+            'args': [2, 2]
+        })
+        assert isinstance(result, ValueError)
+        assert result.message == 'awx.main.tests.functional.test_dispatch.Restricted is not decorated with @task()'  # noqa
+
+    def test_python_function_cannot_be_imported(self):
+        result = self.tm.perform_work({
+            'task': 'os.system',
+            'args': ['ls'],
+        })
+        assert isinstance(result, ValueError)
+        assert result.message == 'os.system is not a valid awx task'  # noqa
+
+    def test_undefined_function_cannot_be_imported(self):
+        result = self.tm.perform_work({
+            'task': 'awx.foo.bar'
+        })
+        assert isinstance(result, ImportError)
+        assert result.message == 'No module named foo'  # noqa
+
 
 class TestTaskPublisher: