diff --git a/eval.c b/eval.c
index bd0f085..43cc8ae 100644
--- a/eval.c
+++ b/eval.c
@@ -1130,6 +1130,26 @@ rb_using_module(NODE *cref, VALUE module)
     rb_hash_foreach(refinements, using_refinement, (VALUE) cref);
 }
 
+
+static int
+check_circular_using(VALUE mod, VALUE _, VALUE search)
+{
+    VALUE using_modules;
+    ID id_using_modules;
+    CONST_ID(id_using_modules, "__using_modules__");
+
+    if(mod == search) {
+	rb_raise(rb_eTypeError, "circular using is not allowed");
+    }
+
+    using_modules = rb_attr_get(mod, id_using_modules);
+    if (!NIL_P(using_modules)) {
+	rb_hash_foreach(using_modules, check_circular_using, search);
+    }
+
+    return ST_CONTINUE;
+}
+
 /*
  *  call-seq:
  *     using(module)    -> self
@@ -1145,6 +1165,7 @@ rb_mod_using(VALUE self, VALUE module)
     VALUE using_modules;
 
     Check_Type(module, T_MODULE);
+    check_circular_using(module, 0, self);
     CONST_ID(id_using_modules, "__using_modules__");
     using_modules = rb_attr_get(self, id_using_modules);
     if (NIL_P(using_modules)) {
diff --git a/test/ruby/test_refinement.rb b/test/ruby/test_refinement.rb
index aeb519c..61f1a24 100644
--- a/test/ruby/test_refinement.rb
+++ b/test/ruby/test_refinement.rb
@@ -685,4 +685,25 @@ class TestRefinement < Test::Unit::TestCase
     assert_equal("#<refinement:#{c.inspect}@#{m.inspect}>",
                  m.refinements[c].inspect)
   end
+
+  def test_circular_using_is_not_allowed
+    a = Module.new
+    b = Module.new
+
+    assert_raise TypeError do
+      a.module_eval do
+        using a
+      end
+    end
+
+    b.module_eval do
+      using a
+    end
+
+    assert_raise TypeError do
+      a.module_eval do
+        using b
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end