diff --git a/src/transformers/tokenization_utils.py b/src/transformers/tokenization_utils.py
index e2ae20c7da..75119e9285 100644
--- a/src/transformers/tokenization_utils.py
+++ b/src/transformers/tokenization_utils.py
@@ -1012,6 +1012,12 @@ class PreTrainedTokenizer(object):
                 "https://github.com/huggingface/transformers/pull/2674"
             )
 
+        # Throw an error if we can pad because there is no padding token
+        if pad_to_max_length and self.pad_token_id is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Unable to set proper padding strategy as the tokenizer does not have a padding token. In this case please set the `pad_token` `(tokenizer.pad_token = tokenizer.eos_token e.g.)` or add a new pad token via the function add_special_tokens if you want to use a padding strategy"
+            )
+
         first_ids = get_input_ids(text)
         second_ids = get_input_ids(text_pair) if text_pair is not None else None
 
@@ -1115,6 +1121,12 @@ class PreTrainedTokenizer(object):
                     "Input is not valid. Should be a string, a list/tuple of strings or a list/tuple of integers."
                 )
 
+        # Throw an error if we can pad because there is no padding token
+        if pad_to_max_length and self.pad_token_id is None:
+            raise ValueError(
+                "Unable to set proper padding strategy as the tokenizer does not have a padding token. In this case please set the `pad_token` `(tokenizer.pad_token = tokenizer.eos_token e.g.)` or add a new pad token via the function add_special_tokens if you want to use a padding strategy"
+            )
+
         if return_offsets_mapping:
             raise NotImplementedError(
                 "return_offset_mapping is not available when using Python tokenizers."
@@ -1788,7 +1800,7 @@ class PreTrainedTokenizerFast(PreTrainedTokenizer):
 
         # Throw an error if we can pad because there is no padding token
         if pad_to_max_length and self.pad_token_id is None:
-            raise ValueError("Unable to set proper padding strategy as the tokenizer does have padding token")
+            raise ValueError("Unable to set proper padding strategy as the tokenizer does not have a padding token")
 
         # Set the truncation and padding strategy and restore the initial configuration
         with truncate_and_pad(
diff --git a/tests/test_tokenization_common.py b/tests/test_tokenization_common.py
index 1ca830004b..b1f69fbfc1 100644
--- a/tests/test_tokenization_common.py
+++ b/tests/test_tokenization_common.py
@@ -449,6 +449,10 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
 
         sequence = "Sequence"
         padding_size = 10
+
+        # check correct behaviour if no pad_token_id exists and add it eventually
+        self._check_no_pad_token_padding(tokenizer, sequence)
+
         padding_idx = tokenizer.pad_token_id
 
         # RIGHT PADDING - Check that it correctly pads when a maximum length is specified along with the padding flag set to True
@@ -490,6 +494,10 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
         tokenizer = self.get_tokenizer()
 
         sequence = "Sequence"
+
+        # check correct behaviour if no pad_token_id exists and add it eventually
+        self._check_no_pad_token_padding(tokenizer, sequence)
+
         padding_size = 10
         padding_idx = tokenizer.pad_token_id
         token_type_padding_idx = tokenizer.pad_token_type_id
@@ -503,6 +511,7 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
 
         # Test right padding
         tokenizer.padding_side = "right"
+
         padded_sequence = tokenizer.encode_plus(
             sequence,
             max_length=sequence_length + padding_size,
@@ -588,10 +597,14 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
 
         maximum_length = len(max([encoded_sequence["input_ids"] for encoded_sequence in encoded_sequences], key=len))
 
+        # check correct behaviour if no pad_token_id exists and add it eventually
+        self._check_no_pad_token_padding(tokenizer, sequences)
+
         encoded_sequences_padded = [
             tokenizer.encode_plus(sequence, pad_to_max_length=True, max_length=maximum_length)
             for sequence in sequences
         ]
+
         encoded_sequences_batch_padded = tokenizer.batch_encode_plus(sequences, pad_to_max_length=True)
         self.assertListEqual(
             encoded_sequences_padded,
@@ -610,6 +623,10 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
         ]
 
         max_length = 100
+
+        # check correct behaviour if no pad_token_id exists and add it eventually
+        self._check_no_pad_token_padding(tokenizer, sequences)
+
         encoded_sequences = [
             tokenizer.encode_plus(sequence, pad_to_max_length=True, max_length=max_length) for sequence in sequences
         ]
@@ -620,6 +637,7 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
 
         # Left padding tests
         tokenizer = self.get_tokenizer()
+
         tokenizer.padding_side = "left"
         sequences = [
             "Testing batch encode plus",
@@ -628,6 +646,10 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
         ]
 
         max_length = 100
+
+        # check correct behaviour if no pad_token_id exists and add it eventually
+        self._check_no_pad_token_padding(tokenizer, sequences)
+
         encoded_sequences = [
             tokenizer.encode_plus(sequence, pad_to_max_length=True, max_length=max_length) for sequence in sequences
         ]
@@ -668,3 +690,15 @@ class TokenizerTesterMixin:
                 encoded_value = encoded_sequences[key]
 
                 self.assertEqual(pytorch_value, tensorflow_value, encoded_value)
+
+    def _check_no_pad_token_padding(self, tokenizer, sequences):
+        # if tokenizer does not have pad_token_id, an error should be thrown
+        if tokenizer.pad_token_id is None:
+            with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+                if isinstance(sequences, list):
+                    tokenizer.batch_encode_plus(sequences, pad_to_max_length=True)
+                else:
+                    tokenizer.encode_plus(sequences, pad_to_max_length=True)
+
+            # add pad_token_id to pass subsequent tests
+            tokenizer.add_special_tokens({"pad_token": "<PAD>"})