diff --git a/src/dawn/native/EncodingContext.h b/src/dawn/native/EncodingContext.h
index 006a47f6e06..be8a22ace89 100644
--- a/src/dawn/native/EncodingContext.h
+++ b/src/dawn/native/EncodingContext.h
@@ -115,11 +115,15 @@ class EncodingContext {
                     // change.
                     DAWN_INVALID_IF(encoder->IsError(), "Recording in an error %s.", encoder);
 
-                    // The top level encoder was used when a pass encoder was current.
-                    DAWN_ASSERT(mCurrentEncoder != mTopLevelEncoder);
+                    // This happens when the CommandEncoder is used while a pass is open.
+                    DAWN_INVALID_IF(encoder == mTopLevelEncoder,
+                                    "Recording in %s which is locked while %s is open.", encoder,
+                                    mCurrentEncoder);
+
+                    // The remaining case is when an encoder is ended but we still try to encode
+                    // commands in it.
                     return DAWN_VALIDATION_ERROR(
-                        "Command cannot be recorded while %s is locked and %s is currently open.",
-                        mTopLevelEncoder, mCurrentEncoder);
+                        "Commands cannot be recorded in %s which has already been ended.", encoder);
             }
         }
         return {};
diff --git a/src/dawn/tests/unittests/validation/CommandBufferValidationTests.cpp b/src/dawn/tests/unittests/validation/CommandBufferValidationTests.cpp
index 4991b781471..23ba064b7fe 100644
--- a/src/dawn/tests/unittests/validation/CommandBufferValidationTests.cpp
+++ b/src/dawn/tests/unittests/validation/CommandBufferValidationTests.cpp
@@ -442,5 +442,14 @@ TEST_F(CommandBufferValidationTest, EncodeAfterDeviceDestroyed) {
     }
 }
 
+// Test that an error is produced when encoding happens after ending a pass.
+TEST_F(CommandBufferValidationTest, EncodeAfterEndingPass) {
+    wgpu::CommandEncoder encoder = device.CreateCommandEncoder();
+    wgpu::ComputePassEncoder pass = encoder.BeginComputePass();
+    pass.End();
+    pass.PushDebugGroup("Foo");
+    ASSERT_DEVICE_ERROR(encoder.Finish());
+}
+
 }  // anonymous namespace
 }  // namespace dawn