diff --git a/.changeset/raw-action-dev-error.md b/.changeset/raw-action-dev-error.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c07d2a5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/raw-action-dev-error.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+"@solidjs/router": patch
+---
+
+Throw a descriptive error in development when an action is called directly instead of through `useAction`.
diff --git a/src/data/action.ts b/src/data/action.ts
index dc1c7c1b..567cd052 100644
--- a/src/data/action.ts
+++ b/src/data/action.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { $TRACK, createMemo, createSignal, JSX, onCleanup, getOwner } from "solid-js";
-import { isServer } from "solid-js/web";
+import { isDev, isServer } from "solid-js/web";
 import { useRouter } from "../routing.js";
 import type {
   RouterContext,
@@ -79,6 +79,20 @@ export function action<T extends Array<any>, U = void>(
   options: string | { name?: string; onComplete?: (s: Submission<T, U>) => void } = {}
 ): Action<T, U> {
   function mutate(this: { r: RouterContext; f?: HTMLFormElement }, ...variables: T) {
+    if (isDev && (typeof this !== "object" || !this || !("r" in this))) {
+      throw new Error(
+        `An action was called directly. Wrap it with \`useAction\` first so it can track its submissions with the router:
+
+  const myAction = action(async () => { ... });
+
+  function MyComponent() {
+    const submit = useAction(myAction);
+    return <button onClick={() => submit()}>Click me</button>;
+  }
+
+See https://docs.solidjs.com/solid-router/concepts/actions`
+      );
+    }
     const router = this.r;
     const form = this.f;
     const p = (
diff --git a/test/data/action.spec.ts b/test/data/action.spec.ts
index 200f12d6..56d2b09b 100644
--- a/test/data/action.spec.ts
+++ b/test/data/action.spec.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,12 @@ describe("action", () => {
     expect(testAction.url).toBe("https://action/test-action");
   });
 
+  test("should throw a descriptive error when called directly without `useAction`", () => {
+    const testAction = action(async () => "result", "direct-call-action");
+
+    expect(() => (testAction as any)()).toThrow(/useAction/);
+  });
+
   test("should create action with auto-generated hash when no `name` provided", () => {
     const testFn = async (data: string) => `result: ${data}`;
     const testAction = action(testFn);