diff --git a/base/abstractarray.jl b/base/abstractarray.jl
index db9096e67e20c..5123aa647985f 100644
--- a/base/abstractarray.jl
+++ b/base/abstractarray.jl
@@ -2136,6 +2136,7 @@ _hvncat(dimsshape::Union{Tuple, Int}, row_first::Bool, xs::Number...) = _typed_h
 _hvncat(dimsshape::Union{Tuple, Int}, row_first::Bool, xs::AbstractArray...) = _typed_hvncat(promote_eltype(xs...), dimsshape, row_first, xs...)
 _hvncat(dimsshape::Union{Tuple, Int}, row_first::Bool, xs::AbstractArray{T}...) where T = _typed_hvncat(T, dimsshape, row_first, xs...)
 
+
 typed_hvncat(T::Type, dimsshape::Tuple, row_first::Bool, xs...) = _typed_hvncat(T, dimsshape, row_first, xs...)
 typed_hvncat(T::Type, dim::Int, xs...) = _typed_hvncat(T, Val(dim), xs...)
 
@@ -2152,9 +2153,9 @@ _typed_hvncat(::Type, ::Val{0}, ::AbstractArray...) = _typed_hvncat_0d_only_one(
 _typed_hvncat_0d_only_one() =
     throw(ArgumentError("a 0-dimensional array may only contain exactly one element"))
 
-_typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, ::Val{N}) where {T, N} = Array{T, N}(undef, ntuple(x -> 0, Val(N)))
-
-function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, dims::Tuple{Vararg{Int, N}}, row_first::Bool, xs::Number...) where {T, N}
+function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, dims::NTuple{N, Int}, row_first::Bool, xs::Number...) where {T, N}
+    all(>(0), dims) ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("`dims` argument must contain positive integers"))
     A = Array{T, N}(undef, dims...)
     lengtha = length(A)  # Necessary to store result because throw blocks are being deoptimized right now, which leads to excessive allocations
     lengthx = length(xs) # Cuts from 3 allocations to 1.
@@ -2191,9 +2192,28 @@ function hvncat_fill!(A::Array, row_first::Bool, xs::Tuple)
 end
 
 _typed_hvncat(T::Type, dim::Int, ::Bool, xs...) = _typed_hvncat(T, Val(dim), xs...) # catches from _hvncat type promoters
+
+function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, ::Val{N}) where {T, N}
+    N < 0 &&
+        throw(ArgumentError("concatenation dimension must be nonnegative"))
+    return Array{T, N}(undef, ntuple(x -> 0, Val(N)))
+end
+
+function _typed_hvncat(T::Type, ::Val{N}, xs::Number...) where N
+    N < 0 &&
+        throw(ArgumentError("concatenation dimension must be nonnegative"))
+    A = cat_similar(xs[1], T, (ntuple(x -> 1, Val(N - 1))..., length(xs)))
+    hvncat_fill!(A, false, xs)
+    return A
+end
+
 function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, ::Val{N}, as::AbstractArray...) where {T, N}
     # optimization for arrays that can be concatenated by copying them linearly into the destination
-    # conditions: the elements must all have 1- or 0-length dimensions above N
+    # conditions: the elements must all have 1-length dimensions above N
+    length(as) > 0 ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("must have at least one element"))
+    N < 0 &&
+        throw(ArgumentError("concatenation dimension must be nonnegative"))
     for a ∈ as
         ndims(a) <= N || all(x -> size(a, x) == 1, (N + 1):ndims(a)) ||
             return _typed_hvncat(T, (ntuple(x -> 1, N - 1)..., length(as), 1), false, as...)
@@ -2203,10 +2223,13 @@ function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, ::Val{N}, as::AbstractArray...) where {T, N}
     nd = max(N, ndims(as[1]))
 
     Ndim = 0
-    for i ∈ 1:lastindex(as)
-        Ndim += cat_size(as[i], N)
-        for d ∈ 1:N - 1
-            cat_size(as[1], d) == cat_size(as[i], d) || throw(ArgumentError("mismatched size along axis $d in element $i"))
+    for i ∈ eachindex(as)
+        a = as[i]
+        Ndim += size(a, N)
+        nd = max(nd, ndims(a))
+        for d ∈ 1:N-1
+            size(a, d) == size(as[1], d) ||
+                throw(ArgumentError("all dimensions of element $i other than $N must be of length 1"))
         end
     end
 
@@ -2222,17 +2245,20 @@ function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, ::Val{N}, as::AbstractArray...) where {T, N}
 end
 
 function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, ::Val{N}, as...) where {T, N}
-    # optimization for scalars and 1-length arrays that can be concatenated by copying them linearly
-    # into the destination
+    length(as) > 0 ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("must have at least one element"))
+    N < 0 &&
+        throw(ArgumentError("concatenation dimension must be nonnegative"))
     nd = N
     Ndim = 0
-    for a ∈ as
-        if a isa AbstractArray
-            cat_size(a, N) == length(a) ||
-                throw(ArgumentError("all dimensions of elements other than $N must be of length 1"))
-            nd = max(nd, cat_ndims(a))
-        end
+    for i ∈ eachindex(as)
+        a = as[i]
         Ndim += cat_size(a, N)
+        nd = max(nd, cat_ndims(a))
+        for d ∈ 1:N-1
+            cat_size(a, d) == 1 ||
+                throw(ArgumentError("all dimensions of element $i other than $N must be of length 1"))
+        end
     end
 
     A = Array{T, nd}(undef, ntuple(x -> 1, N - 1)..., Ndim, ntuple(x -> 1, nd - N)...)
@@ -2276,7 +2302,12 @@ function _typed_hvncat_1d(::Type{T}, ds::Int, ::Val{row_first}, as...) where {T,
     end
 end
 
-function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, dims::Tuple{Vararg{Int, N}}, row_first::Bool, as...) where {T, N}
+function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, dims::NTuple{N, Int}, row_first::Bool, as...) where {T, N}
+    length(as) > 0 ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("must have at least one element"))
+    all(>(0), dims) ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("`dims` argument must contain positive integers"))
+
     d1 = row_first ? 2 : 1
     d2 = row_first ? 1 : 2
 
@@ -2291,7 +2322,9 @@ function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, dims::Tuple{Vararg{Int, N}}, row_first::Bool,
 
     currentdims = zeros(Int, nd)
     blockcount = 0
+    elementcount = 0
     for i ∈ eachindex(as)
+        elementcount += cat_length(as[i])
         currentdims[d1] += cat_size(as[i], d1)
         if currentdims[d1] == outdims[d1]
             currentdims[d1] = 0
@@ -2321,14 +2354,9 @@ function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, dims::Tuple{Vararg{Int, N}}, row_first::Bool,
         end
     end
 
-    # calling sum() leads to 3 extra allocations
-    len = 0
-    for a ∈ as
-        len += cat_length(a)
-    end
     outlen = prod(outdims)
-    outlen == 0 && throw(ArgumentError("too few elements in arguments, unable to infer dimensions"))
-    len == outlen || throw(ArgumentError("too many elements in arguments; expected $(outlen), got $(len)"))
+    elementcount == outlen ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("mismatched number of elements; expected $(outlen), got $(elementcount)"))
 
     # copy into final array
     A = cat_similar(as[1], T, outdims)
@@ -2347,14 +2375,22 @@ function _typed_hvncat(T::Type, shape::Tuple{Tuple}, row_first::Bool, xs...)
     return _typed_hvncat_1d(T, shape[1][1], Val(row_first), xs...)
 end
 
-function _typed_hvncat(T::Type, shape::NTuple{N, Tuple}, row_first::Bool, as...) where {N}
+function _typed_hvncat(::Type{T}, shape::NTuple{N, Tuple}, row_first::Bool, as...) where {T, N}
+    length(as) > 0 ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("must have at least one element"))
+    all(>(0), tuple((shape...)...)) ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("`shape` argument must consist of positive integers"))
+
     d1 = row_first ? 2 : 1
     d2 = row_first ? 1 : 2
-    shape = collect(shape) # saves allocations later
-    shapelength = shape[end][1]
+    shapev = collect(shape) # saves allocations later
+    all(!isempty, shapev) ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("each level of `shape` argument must have at least one value"))
+    length(shapev[end]) == 1 ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("last level of shape must contain only one integer"))
+    shapelength = shapev[end][1]
     lengthas = length(as)
     shapelength == lengthas || throw(ArgumentError("number of elements does not match shape; expected $(shapelength), got $lengthas)"))
-
     # discover dimensions
     nd = max(N, cat_ndims(as[1]))
     outdims = zeros(Int, nd)
@@ -2362,7 +2398,9 @@ function _typed_hvncat(T::Type, shape::NTuple{N, Tuple}, row_first::Bool, as...)
     blockcounts = zeros(Int, nd)
     shapepos = ones(Int, nd)
 
+    elementcount = 0
     for i ∈ eachindex(as)
+        elementcount += cat_length(as[i])
         wasstartblock = false
         for d ∈ 1:N
             ad = (d < 3 && row_first) ? (d == 1 ? 2 : 1) : d
@@ -2372,27 +2410,34 @@ function _typed_hvncat(T::Type, shape::NTuple{N, Tuple}, row_first::Bool, as...)
             if d == 1 || i == 1 || wasstartblock
                 currentdims[d] += dsize
             elseif dsize != cat_size(as[i - 1], ad)
-                throw(ArgumentError("""argument $i has a mismatched number of elements along axis $ad; \
-                                    expected $(cat_size(as[i - 1], ad)), got $dsize"""))
+                throw(ArgumentError("argument $i has a mismatched number of elements along axis $ad; \
+                                    expected $(cat_size(as[i - 1], ad)), got $dsize"))
             end
 
             wasstartblock = blockcounts[d] == 1 # remember for next dimension
 
-            isendblock = blockcounts[d] == shape[d][shapepos[d]]
+            isendblock = blockcounts[d] == shapev[d][shapepos[d]]
             if isendblock
                 if outdims[d] == 0
                     outdims[d] = currentdims[d]
                 elseif outdims[d] != currentdims[d]
-                    throw(ArgumentError("""argument $i has a mismatched number of elements along axis $ad; \
-                                        expected $(abs(outdims[d] - (currentdims[d] - dsize))), got $dsize"""))
+                    throw(ArgumentError("argument $i has a mismatched number of elements along axis $ad; \
+                                        expected $(abs(outdims[d] - (currentdims[d] - dsize))), got $dsize"))
                 end
                 currentdims[d] = 0
                 blockcounts[d] = 0
                 shapepos[d] += 1
+                d > 1 && (blockcounts[d - 1] == 0 ||
+                    throw(ArgumentError("shape in level $d is inconsistent; level counts must nest \
+                                        evenly into each other")))
             end
         end
     end
 
+    outlen = prod(outdims)
+    elementcount == outlen ||
+        throw(ArgumentError("mismatched number of elements; expected $(outlen), got $(elementcount)"))
+
     if row_first
         outdims[1], outdims[2] = outdims[2], outdims[1]
     end
diff --git a/test/abstractarray.jl b/test/abstractarray.jl
index a1c6dd1b22ce7..05f93805953dd 100644
--- a/test/abstractarray.jl
+++ b/test/abstractarray.jl
@@ -1390,6 +1390,69 @@ using Base: typed_hvncat
         @test [v v;;; fill(v, 1, 2)] == fill(v, 1, 2, 2)
     end
 
+    # dims form
+    for v ∈ ((), (1,), ([1],), (1, [1]), ([1], 1), ([1], [1]))
+        # reject dimension < 0
+        @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(-1, v...)
+
+        # reject shape tuple with no elements
+        @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(((),), true, v...)
+    end
+
+    # reject dims or shape with negative or zero values
+    for v1 ∈ (-1, 0, 1)
+        for v2 ∈ (-1, 0, 1)
+            v1 == v2 == 1 && continue
+            for v3 ∈ ((), (1,), ([1],), (1, [1]), ([1], 1), ([1], [1]))
+                @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat((v1, v2), true, v3...)
+                @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(((v1,), (v2,)), true, v3...)
+            end
+        end
+    end
+
+    for v ∈ ((1, [1]), ([1], 1), ([1], [1]))
+        # reject shape with more than one end value
+        @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(((1, 1),), true, v...)
+    end
+
+    for v ∈ ((1, 2, 3), (1, 2, [3]), ([1], [2], [3]))
+        # reject shape with more values in later level
+        @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(((2, 1), (1, 1, 1)), true, v...)
+    end
+
+    # reject shapes that don't nest evenly between levels (e.g. 1 + 2 does not fit into 2)
+    @test_throws ArgumentError hvncat(((1, 2, 1), (2, 2), (4,)), true, [1 2], [3], [4], [1 2; 3 4])
+
+    # zero-length arrays are handled appropriately
+    @test [zeros(Int, 1, 2, 0) ;;; 1 3] == [1 3;;;]
+    @test [[] ;;; [] ;;; []] == Array{Any}(undef, 0, 1, 3)
+    @test [[] ; 1 ;;; 2 ; []] == [1 ;;; 2]
+    @test [[] ; [] ;;; [] ; []] == Array{Any}(undef, 0, 1, 2)
+    @test [[] ; 1 ;;; 2] == [1 ;;; 2]
+    @test [[] ; [] ;;; [] ;;; []] == Array{Any}(undef, 0, 1, 3)
+    z = zeros(Int, 0, 0, 0)
+    [z z ; z ;;; z ;;; z] == Array{Int}(undef, 0, 0, 0)
+
+    for v1 ∈ (zeros(Int, 0, 0), zeros(Int, 0, 0, 0, 0), zeros(Int, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0))
+        for v2 ∈ (1, [1])
+            for v3 ∈ (2, [2])
+                @test_throws ArgumentError [v1 ;;; v2]
+                @test_throws ArgumentError [v1 ;;; v2 v3]
+                @test_throws ArgumentError [v1 v1 ;;; v2 v3]
+            end
+        end
+    end
+    v1 = zeros(Int, 0, 0, 0)
+    for v2 ∈ (1, [1])
+        for v3 ∈ (2, [2])
+            # current behavior, not potentially dangerous.
+            # should throw error like above loop
+            @test [v1 ;;; v2 v3] == [v2 v3;;;]
+            @test_throws ArgumentError [v1 ;;; v2]
+            @test_throws ArgumentError [v1 v1 ;;; v2 v3]
+        end
+    end
+
     # 0-dimension behaviors
     # exactly one argument, placed in an array
     # if already an array, copy, with type conversion as necessary