diff --git a/django/contrib/admin/validation.py b/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
index fa6d7e3..f687a84 100644
--- a/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
+++ b/django/contrib/admin/validation.py
@@ -85,6 +85,11 @@ def validate(cls, model):
                 raise ImproperlyConfigured("'%s' cannot be in both '%s.list_editable'"
                     " and '%s.list_display_links'"
                     % (field, cls.__name__, cls.__name__))
+            if not cls.list_display_links and cls.list_display[0] in cls.list_editable:
+                raise ImproperlyConfigured("'%s.list_editable[%d]' refers to the"
+                    " first field in list_display, which can't be used unless"
+                    " list_display_links is set." % (cls.__name__, idx))
+
                 
 
     # search_fields = ()