diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/syntax/outlet.ts b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/syntax/outlet.ts
index d0027f2339e..fecd4a02721 100644
--- a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/syntax/outlet.ts
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/lib/syntax/outlet.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { InternalOwner } from '@ember/-internals/owner';
 import { assert } from '@ember/debug';
+import { getEngineParent } from '@ember/engine/parent';
 import { DEBUG } from '@glimmer/env';
 import type {
   CapturedArguments,
@@ -57,8 +58,18 @@ export const outletHelper = internalHelper(
       scope
     );
 
+    let outletStateRef = scope.get('outletState') as Reference<OutletState | undefined>;
+
+    let isNonRoutableEngine =
+      getEngineParent(owner as any) !== undefined && (owner as any).routable !== true;
+
+    assert(
+      '{{outlet}} may only be used in route templates. It cannot be used in component templates or non-routable engine templates.',
+      !isNonRoutableEngine && valueForRef(outletStateRef) !== undefined
+    );
+
     let outletRef = createComputeRef(() => {
-      let state = valueForRef(scope.get('outletState') as Reference<OutletState | undefined>);
+      let state = valueForRef(outletStateRef);
       return state?.outlets?.main;
     });
 
diff --git a/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/outlet-assertion-test.js b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/outlet-assertion-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..7a4a1ea81ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/@ember/-internals/glimmer/tests/integration/outlet-assertion-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import {
+  moduleFor,
+  ApplicationTestCase,
+  ModuleBasedTestResolver,
+  RenderingTestCase,
+} from 'internal-test-helpers';
+import { DEBUG } from '@glimmer/env';
+import Engine from '@ember/engine';
+import Controller from '@ember/controller';
+import { precompileTemplate } from '@ember/template-compilation';
+
+const OUTLET_ASSERTION =
+  '{{outlet}} may only be used in route templates. It cannot be used in component templates or non-routable engine templates.';
+
+moduleFor(
+  '{{outlet}} assertion tests - component context',
+  class extends RenderingTestCase {
+    ['@test it asserts when {{outlet}} is used in a component template'](assert) {
+      if (!DEBUG) {
+        assert.ok(true, 'Assertions disabled in production builds.');
+        return;
+      }
+
+      this.add('template:components/foo-bar', precompileTemplate('{{outlet}}'));
+
+      assert.throwsAssertion(() => {
+        this.render('<FooBar />');
+      }, OUTLET_ASSERTION);
+    }
+  }
+);
+
+moduleFor(
+  '{{outlet}} assertion tests - route context',
+  class extends ApplicationTestCase {
+    ['@test valid {{outlet}} in route templates continues to work'](assert) {
+      this.add('template:application', precompileTemplate('{{outlet}}'));
+      this.add('template:index', precompileTemplate('Hello from route template'));
+
+      return this.visit('/').then(() => {
+        assert.strictEqual(this.element.textContent.trim(), 'Hello from route template');
+      });
+    }
+  }
+);
+
+moduleFor(
+  '{{outlet}} assertion tests - non-routable engine',
+  class extends ApplicationTestCase {
+    constructor() {
+      super(...arguments);
+
+      let engineRegistrations = (this.engineRegistrations = {});
+
+      this.add(
+        'engine:chat',
+        class extends Engine {
+          router = null;
+          Resolver = ModuleBasedTestResolver;
+
+          init() {
+            super.init(...arguments);
+
+            Object.keys(engineRegistrations).forEach((fullName) => {
+              this.register(fullName, engineRegistrations[fullName]);
+            });
+          }
+        }
+      );
+
+      this.add('template:index', precompileTemplate('{{mount "chat"}}'));
+    }
+
+    ['@test it asserts when {{outlet}} is used in a non-routable engine'](assert) {
+      if (!DEBUG) {
+        assert.ok(true, 'Assertions disabled in production builds.');
+        return;
+      }
+
+      this.engineRegistrations['template:application'] = precompileTemplate('{{outlet}}');
+      this.engineRegistrations['controller:application'] = class extends Controller {};
+
+      return assert.rejectsAssertion(this.visit('/'), OUTLET_ASSERTION);
+    }
+  }
+);