diff --git a/core/server/helpers/img_url.js b/core/server/helpers/img_url.js
index 03004796c3..74a272c85a 100644
--- a/core/server/helpers/img_url.js
+++ b/core/server/helpers/img_url.js
@@ -1,39 +1,39 @@
 
 // Usage:
-// `{{img_url}}` - does not work, argument is required
 // `{{img_url feature_image}}`
 // `{{img_url profile_image absolute="true"}}`
+// Note:
+// `{{img_url}}` - does not work, argument is required
 //
 // Returns the URL for the current object scope i.e. If inside a post scope will return image permalink
 // `absolute` flag outputs absolute URL, else URL is relative.
 
 var proxy = require('./proxy'),
-    errors = require('../errors'),
+    logging = require('../logging'),
     i18n = require('../i18n'),
     url = proxy.url;
 
 module.exports = function imgUrl(attr, options) {
-    var absolute;
-
-    // CASE: if you pass e.g. cover_image, but it is not set, then attr is null!
-    //       in this case we don't throw an error
-    if (!options) {
-        attr = undefined;
-        options = attr;
-    }
-
-    absolute = options && options.hash && options.hash.absolute;
-
-    if (attr === undefined) {
-        throw new errors.IncorrectUsageError({
-            message: i18n.t('warnings.helpers.img_url.attrIsRequired')
-        });
-    }
-
-    // CASE: property is not set in the model e.g. cover_image
-    if (attr === null) {
+    // CASE: if no attribute is passed, e.g. `{{img_url}}` we show a warning
+    if (arguments.length < 2) {
+        logging.warn(i18n.t('warnings.helpers.img_url.attrIsRequired'));
         return;
     }
 
-    return url.urlFor('image', {image: attr}, absolute);
+    var absolute = options && options.hash && options.hash.absolute;
+
+    // CASE: if attribute is passed, but it is undefined, then the attribute was
+    // an unknown value, e.g. {{img_url feature_img}} and we also show a warning
+    if (attr === undefined) {
+        logging.warn(i18n.t('warnings.helpers.img_url.attrIsRequired'));
+        return;
+    }
+
+    if (attr) {
+        return url.urlFor('image', {image: attr}, absolute);
+    } else {
+        // CASE: if you pass e.g. cover_image, but it is not set, then attr is null!
+        // in this case we don't show a warning
+        return;
+    }
 };
diff --git a/core/server/translations/en.json b/core/server/translations/en.json
index a9aa9962f5..ebe54875f6 100644
--- a/core/server/translations/en.json
+++ b/core/server/translations/en.json
@@ -521,7 +521,8 @@
                 "valuesMustBeDefined": "All values must be defined for empty, singular and plural"
             },
             "img_url": {
-                "attrIsRequired": "Attribute is required e.g. \\{\\{img_url feature_image\\}\\}"
+                "attrIsRequired": "Attribute is required e.g. \\{\\{img_url feature_image\\}\\}",
+                "attrIsUnknown": "Attribute passed to \\{\\{img_url\\}\\} is unknown"
             },
             "template": {
                 "templateNotFound": "Template {name} not found."
diff --git a/core/test/unit/server_helpers/img_url_spec.js b/core/test/unit/server_helpers/img_url_spec.js
index b4a2217841..23e272b884 100644
--- a/core/test/unit/server_helpers/img_url_spec.js
+++ b/core/test/unit/server_helpers/img_url_spec.js
@@ -4,15 +4,21 @@ var should = require('should'), // jshint ignore:line
 
     // Stuff we are testing
     helpers = require('../../../server/helpers'),
-    errors = require('../../../server/errors'),
+    logging = require('../../../server/logging'),
 
     sandbox = sinon.sandbox.create();
 
 describe('{{image}} helper', function () {
+    var logWarnStub;
+
     before(function () {
         configUtils.set({url: 'http://localhost:82832/'});
     });
 
+    beforeEach(function () {
+        logWarnStub = sandbox.stub(logging, 'warn');
+    });
+
     afterEach(function () {
         sandbox.restore();
     });
@@ -25,33 +31,39 @@ describe('{{image}} helper', function () {
         var rendered = helpers.img_url('/content/images/image-relative-url.png', {});
         should.exist(rendered);
         rendered.should.equal('/content/images/image-relative-url.png');
+        logWarnStub.called.should.be.false();
     });
 
     it('should output absolute url of image if the option is present ', function () {
         var rendered = helpers.img_url('/content/images/image-relative-url.png', {hash: {absolute: 'true'}});
         should.exist(rendered);
         rendered.should.equal('http://localhost:82832/content/images/image-relative-url.png');
+        logWarnStub.called.should.be.false();
     });
 
     it('should output author url', function () {
         var rendered = helpers.img_url('/content/images/author-image-relative-url.png', {});
         should.exist(rendered);
         rendered.should.equal('/content/images/author-image-relative-url.png');
+        logWarnStub.called.should.be.false();
     });
 
-    it('should have no output if there is no image ', function (done) {
-        try {
-            helpers.img_url(undefined, {hash: {absolute: 'true'}});
-            done(new Error('we expect an error from img_url'));
-        } catch (err) {
-            (err instanceof errors.IncorrectUsageError).should.eql(true);
-            done();
-        }
+    it('should have no output if the image attributeis not provided (with warning)', function () {
+        var rendered = helpers.img_url({hash: {absolute: 'true'}});
+        should.not.exist(rendered);
+        logWarnStub.calledOnce.should.be.true();
     });
 
-    it('should have no output if there is no image ', function () {
+    it('should have no output if the image attribute evaluates to undefined (with warning)', function () {
+        var rendered = helpers.img_url(undefined, {hash: {absolute: 'true'}});
+        should.not.exist(rendered);
+        logWarnStub.calledOnce.should.be.true();
+    });
+
+    it('should have no output if the image attribute evaluates to null (no waring)', function () {
         var rendered = helpers.img_url(null, {hash: {absolute: 'true'}});
         should.not.exist(rendered);
+        logWarnStub.calledOnce.should.be.false();
     });
 
     describe('with sub-directory', function () {