diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.h b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.h
index 170de10c8f..a16932ccf1 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.h
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.h
@@ -64,7 +64,12 @@ typedef ASTraitCollection * _Nonnull (^ASDisplayTraitsForTraitWindowSizeBlock)(C
 
 @interface ASViewController (ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol)
 
-/// Automatically adjust range mode based on view events if the containing node confirms to the ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol
+/**
+ * Automatically adjust range mode based on view events. If you set this to YES, the view controller or its node
+ * must conform to the ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol. 
+ *
+ * Default value is NO.
+ */
 @property (nonatomic, assign) BOOL automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents;
 
 @end
diff --git a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.mm b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.mm
index bfdaefbe7c..82d8951175 100644
--- a/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.mm
+++ b/AsyncDisplayKit/ASViewController.mm
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
   BOOL _automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents;
   BOOL _parentManagesVisibilityDepth;
   NSInteger _visibilityDepth;
+  BOOL _selfConformsToRangeModeProtocol;
+  BOOL _nodeConformsToRangeModeProtocol;
+  BOOL _didCheckRangeModeProtocolConformance;
 }
 
 - (instancetype)initWithNibName:(NSString *)nibNameOrNil bundle:(NSBundle *)nibBundleOrNil
@@ -172,17 +175,29 @@ ASVisibilityDepthImplementation;
 - (void)setAutomaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents:(BOOL)automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents
 {
   _automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents = automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents;
+  if (automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents && !_didCheckRangeModeProtocolConformance) {
+    _selfConformsToRangeModeProtocol = [self conformsToProtocol:@protocol(ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol)];
+    _nodeConformsToRangeModeProtocol = [_node conformsToProtocol:@protocol(ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol)];
+    _didCheckRangeModeProtocolConformance = YES;
+    if (!_selfConformsToRangeModeProtocol && !_nodeConformsToRangeModeProtocol) {
+      NSLog(@"Warning: automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents set to YES in %@, but range mode updating is not possible because neither view controller nor node %@ conform to ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol.", self, _node);
+    }
+  }
 }
 
 - (void)updateCurrentRangeModeWithModeIfPossible:(ASLayoutRangeMode)rangeMode
 {
   if (!_automaticallyAdjustRangeModeBasedOnViewEvents) { return; }
-  if (![_node conformsToProtocol:@protocol(ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol)]) {
-    return;
+  
+  if (_selfConformsToRangeModeProtocol) {
+    id<ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol> rangeUpdater = (id<ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol>)self;
+    [rangeUpdater updateCurrentRangeWithMode:rangeMode];
+  }
+  
+  if (_nodeConformsToRangeModeProtocol) {
+    id<ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol> rangeUpdater = (id<ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol>)_node;
+    [rangeUpdater updateCurrentRangeWithMode:rangeMode];
   }
-
-  id<ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol> updateRangeNode = (id<ASRangeControllerUpdateRangeProtocol>)_node;
-  [updateRangeNode updateCurrentRangeWithMode:rangeMode];
 }
 
 #pragma mark - Layout Helpers