diff --git a/src/compile/Component.ts b/src/compile/Component.ts
index 62c2931f62..037880eff5 100644
--- a/src/compile/Component.ts
+++ b/src/compile/Component.ts
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ export default class Component {
 			this.add_reference(subscribable_name);
 
 			const variable = this.var_lookup.get(subscribable_name);
-			variable.subscribable = true;
+			if (variable) variable.subscribable = true;
 		} else {
 			this.usedNames.add(name);
 		}
diff --git a/src/compile/nodes/shared/Expression.ts b/src/compile/nodes/shared/Expression.ts
index 87d06b722b..eb6b12143a 100644
--- a/src/compile/nodes/shared/Expression.ts
+++ b/src/compile/nodes/shared/Expression.ts
@@ -149,13 +149,6 @@ export default class Expression {
 							dependencies.add(name);
 						}
 
-						if (name[0] === '$' && !component.var_lookup.get(name.slice(1)) && name !== '$$props') {
-							component.error(node, {
-								code: `missing-store`,
-								message: `Stores must be declared`
-							});
-						}
-
 						component.add_reference(name);
 						component.warn_if_undefined(nodes[0], template_scope);
 					}
diff --git a/src/compile/render-dom/index.ts b/src/compile/render-dom/index.ts
index 9d926d0d37..5def2edd04 100644
--- a/src/compile/render-dom/index.ts
+++ b/src/compile/render-dom/index.ts
@@ -326,7 +326,7 @@ export default function dom(
 	const reactive_store_subscriptions = reactive_stores
 		.filter(store => {
 			const variable = component.var_lookup.get(store.name.slice(1));
-			return variable.hoistable;
+			return !variable || variable.hoistable;
 		})
 		.map(({ name }) => deindent`
 			${component.compileOptions.dev && `@validate_store(${name.slice(1)}, '${name.slice(1)}');`}
@@ -336,7 +336,7 @@ export default function dom(
 	const resubscribable_reactive_store_unsubscribers = reactive_stores
 		.filter(store => {
 			const variable = component.var_lookup.get(store.name.slice(1));
-			return variable.reassigned;
+			return variable && variable.reassigned;
 		})
 		.map(({ name }) => `$$self.$$.on_destroy.push(() => $$unsubscribe_${name.slice(1)}());`);
 
@@ -370,7 +370,7 @@ export default function dom(
 			const name = $name.slice(1);
 
 			const store = component.var_lookup.get(name);
-			if (store.reassigned) {
+			if (store && store.reassigned) {
 				return `${$name}, $$unsubscribe_${name} = @noop, $$subscribe_${name} = () => { $$unsubscribe_${name}(); $$unsubscribe_${name} = ${name}.subscribe($$value => { ${$name} = $$value; $$invalidate('${$name}', ${$name}); }) }`
 			}
 
diff --git a/test/runtime/samples/store-auto-subscribe-missing-global/_config.js b/test/runtime/samples/store-auto-subscribe-missing-global/_config.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4eb72b553
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runtime/samples/store-auto-subscribe-missing-global/_config.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export default {
+	error: 'missingGlobal is not defined'
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/runtime/samples/store-auto-subscribe-missing-global/main.svelte b/test/runtime/samples/store-auto-subscribe-missing-global/main.svelte
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..196836edef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/runtime/samples/store-auto-subscribe-missing-global/main.svelte
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<p>{$missingGlobal}</p>
\ No newline at end of file