diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 042f2ad84a..1f55ce0546 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 - [#7285](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb/issues/7285): Correctly use password-type field in Admin UI. Thanks @dandv!
 - [#2792](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb/issues/2792): Exceeding max retention policy duration gives incorrect error message
 - [#7226](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb/issues/7226): Fix database locked up when deleting shards
+- [#7315](https://github.com/influxdata/influxdb/issues/7315): Prevent users from manually using system queries since incorrect use would result in a panic.
 
 ## v1.0.0 [2016-09-07]
 
diff --git a/influxql/ast.go b/influxql/ast.go
index c2c6432225..8992091176 100644
--- a/influxql/ast.go
+++ b/influxql/ast.go
@@ -409,7 +409,6 @@ func IsSystemName(name string) bool {
 	case "_fieldKeys",
 		"_measurements",
 		"_series",
-		"_tagKey",
 		"_tagKeys",
 		"_tags":
 		return true
diff --git a/influxql/query_executor.go b/influxql/query_executor.go
index bc9d3ebe94..f3205f0c07 100644
--- a/influxql/query_executor.go
+++ b/influxql/query_executor.go
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ func (e *QueryExecutor) executeQuery(query *Query, opt ExecutionOptions, closing
 	}
 
 	var i int
+LOOP:
 	for ; i < len(query.Statements); i++ {
 		ctx.StatementID = i
 		stmt := query.Statements[i]
@@ -211,6 +212,36 @@ func (e *QueryExecutor) executeQuery(query *Query, opt ExecutionOptions, closing
 			}
 		}
 
+		// Do not let queries manually use the system measurements. If we find
+		// one, return an error. This prevents a person from using the
+		// measurement incorrectly and causing a panic.
+		if stmt, ok := stmt.(*SelectStatement); ok {
+			for _, s := range stmt.Sources {
+				switch s := s.(type) {
+				case *Measurement:
+					if IsSystemName(s.Name) {
+						command := "the appropriate meta command"
+						switch s.Name {
+						case "_fieldKeys":
+							command = "SHOW FIELD KEYS"
+						case "_measurements":
+							command = "SHOW MEASUREMENTS"
+						case "_series":
+							command = "SHOW SERIES"
+						case "_tagKeys":
+							command = "SHOW TAG KEYS"
+						case "_tags":
+							command = "SHOW TAG VALUES"
+						}
+						results <- &Result{
+							Err: fmt.Errorf("unable to use system source '%s': use %s instead", s.Name, command),
+						}
+						break LOOP
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
 		// Rewrite statements, if necessary.
 		// This can occur on meta read statements which convert to SELECT statements.
 		newStmt, err := RewriteStatement(stmt)
diff --git a/influxql/query_executor_test.go b/influxql/query_executor_test.go
index 6deda3e699..3d11c8232b 100644
--- a/influxql/query_executor_test.go
+++ b/influxql/query_executor_test.go
@@ -283,6 +283,56 @@ func TestQueryExecutor_Panic(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestQueryExecutor_InvalidSource(t *testing.T) {
+	e := NewQueryExecutor()
+	e.StatementExecutor = &StatementExecutor{
+		ExecuteStatementFn: func(stmt influxql.Statement, ctx influxql.ExecutionContext) error {
+			return errors.New("statement executed unexpectedly")
+		},
+	}
+
+	for i, tt := range []struct {
+		q   string
+		err string
+	}{
+		{
+			q:   `SELECT fieldKey, fieldType FROM _fieldKeys`,
+			err: `unable to use system source '_fieldKeys': use SHOW FIELD KEYS instead`,
+		},
+		{
+			q:   `SELECT "name" FROM _measurements`,
+			err: `unable to use system source '_measurements': use SHOW MEASUREMENTS instead`,
+		},
+		{
+			q:   `SELECT "key" FROM _series`,
+			err: `unable to use system source '_series': use SHOW SERIES instead`,
+		},
+		{
+			q:   `SELECT tagKey FROM _tagKeys`,
+			err: `unable to use system source '_tagKeys': use SHOW TAG KEYS instead`,
+		},
+		{
+			q:   `SELECT "key", value FROM _tags`,
+			err: `unable to use system source '_tags': use SHOW TAG VALUES instead`,
+		},
+	} {
+		q, err := influxql.ParseQuery(tt.q)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("%d. unable to parse: %s", i, tt.q)
+			continue
+		}
+
+		results := e.ExecuteQuery(q, influxql.ExecutionOptions{}, nil)
+		result := <-results
+		if len(result.Series) != 0 {
+			t.Errorf("%d. expected %d rows, got %d", 0, i, len(result.Series))
+		}
+		if result.Err == nil || result.Err.Error() != tt.err {
+			t.Errorf("%d. unexpected error: %s", i, result.Err)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func discardOutput(results <-chan *influxql.Result) {
 	for range results {
 		// Read all results and discard.