diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 1ead4785c0..05dcad0c5c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -56,3 +56,4 @@ doc/normaldoc.conf
 lib/sli/rcsinfo.sli
 extras/emacs/sli.el
 extras/nest_vars.sh
+
diff --git a/nestkernel/conn_builder.cpp b/nestkernel/conn_builder.cpp
index df91d0d651..530b7f323b 100644
--- a/nestkernel/conn_builder.cpp
+++ b/nestkernel/conn_builder.cpp
@@ -462,6 +462,13 @@ nest::ConnBuilder::single_connect_( index sgid,
   thread target_thread,
   librandom::RngPtr& rng )
 {
+  if ( this->requires_proxies() and not target.has_proxies() )
+  {
+    throw IllegalConnection(
+      "Cannot use this rule to connect to nodes"
+      " without proxies (usually devices)." );
+  }
+
   if ( param_dicts_.empty() ) // indicates we have no synapse params
   {
     if ( default_weight_and_delay_ )
diff --git a/nestkernel/conn_builder.h b/nestkernel/conn_builder.h
index 9577aa04b7..c63a241890 100644
--- a/nestkernel/conn_builder.h
+++ b/nestkernel/conn_builder.h
@@ -119,6 +119,13 @@ class ConnBuilder
     return false;
   }
 
+  //! Return true if rule is applicable only to nodes with proxies
+  virtual bool
+  requires_proxies() const
+  {
+    return true;
+  }
+
 protected:
   //! Implements the actual connection algorithm
   virtual void connect_() = 0;
@@ -248,6 +255,12 @@ class OneToOneBuilder : public ConnBuilder
     return true;
   }
 
+  bool
+  requires_proxies() const
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
 protected:
   void connect_();
   void sp_connect_();
@@ -272,6 +285,12 @@ class AllToAllBuilder : public ConnBuilder
     return *sources_ == *targets_ && all_parameters_scalar_();
   }
 
+  bool
+  requires_proxies() const
+  {
+    return false;
+  }
+
 protected:
   void connect_();
   void sp_connect_();
diff --git a/testsuite/regressiontests/issue-351.sli b/testsuite/regressiontests/issue-351.sli
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ae40237a4e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/regressiontests/issue-351.sli
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+/*
+ *  issue-351.sli
+ *
+ *  This file is part of NEST.
+ *
+ *  Copyright (C) 2004 The NEST Initiative
+ *
+ *  NEST is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ *  it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ *  the Free Software Foundation, either version 2 of the License, or
+ *  (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ *  NEST is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ *  but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ *  MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ *  GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ *  You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ *  along with NEST.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ */
+
+/* BeginDocumentation
+
+Name: testsuite::issue-351 Ensure Connect raises exception if connecting to device with unusable rule
+
+Synopsis: (issue-351) run -> NEST exits if test fails
+
+Description:
+This test makes sure that connections to devices without proxies are
+prohibited for probabilistic connection rules.
+
+Author: Hans Ekkehard Plesser, 2016-11-22
+ */
+
+(unittest) run
+/unittest using
+
+M_ERROR setverbosity
+
+/prob_rules 
+[
+   << /rule /fixed_indegree /indegree 1 >>
+   << /rule /fixed_outdegree /outdegree 1 >>
+   << /rule /fixed_total_number /N 1 >>
+   << /rule /pairwise_bernoulli /p 1.0 >>
+] def
+              
+/skip_list [ /multimeter /voltmeter % inverse order 
+             /weight_recorder    % attaches to synapses 
+             /correlation_detector % has proxies
+             /correlomatrix_detector % has proxies
+             /spin_detector      % binary recorders
+             /correlospinmatrix_detector
+           ] def          
+              
+modeldict keys
+{
+  /model Set
+  model GetDefaults /element_type get /recorder eq
+  skip_list model MemberQ not and
+  {
+    prob_rules 
+    {
+      /ruledict Set
+      (Testing ) =only model =only ( ) =only ruledict/rule :: =
+      { 
+        ResetKernel
+        1 /iaf_psc_alpha Create cvgidcollection
+        2 model Create cvgidcollection
+        ruledict Connect
+      }
+      fail_or_die
+      clear
+    }
+    forall
+  }
+  if
+} 
+forall
+
+endusing
\ No newline at end of file