diff --git a/Tests/feaLib/builder_test.py b/Tests/feaLib/builder_test.py
index eb3cfdb14..0b300ba57 100644
--- a/Tests/feaLib/builder_test.py
+++ b/Tests/feaLib/builder_test.py
@@ -512,6 +512,18 @@ class BuilderTest(unittest.TestCase):
         addOpenTypeFeatures(font, tree)
         assert "GSUB" in font
 
+    def test_unsupported_subtable_break(self):
+        self.assertRaisesRegex(
+            FeatureLibError,
+            'explicit "subtable" statement is intended for .* class kerning',
+            self.build,
+            "feature liga {"
+            "    sub f f by f_f;"
+            "    subtable;"
+            "    sub f i by f_i;"
+            "} liga;"
+        )
+
 
 def generate_feature_file_test(name):
     return lambda self: self.check_feature_file(name)
diff --git a/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.fea b/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.fea
index 021f3cc09..6d3d1411f 100644
--- a/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.fea
+++ b/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.fea
@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 languagesystem DFLT dflt;
 languagesystem latn dflt;
 
+@group1 = [b o];
+@group2 = [c d];
+@group3 = [v w];
+
 lookup kernlookup {
     pos A V -34;
     subtable;
-    @group1 = [b o];
-    @group2 = [c d];
     pos @group1 @group2 -12;
+    subtable;
+    pos @group3 @group2 -20;
 } kernlookup;
 
 feature kern {
diff --git a/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.ttx b/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.ttx
index 49b65a412..1dde34947 100644
--- a/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.ttx
+++ b/Tests/feaLib/data/PairPosSubtable.ttx
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@
       <Lookup index="0">
         <LookupType value="2"/>
         <LookupFlag value="0"/>
-        <!-- SubTableCount=2 -->
+        <!-- SubTableCount=3 -->
         <PairPos index="0" Format="1">
           <Coverage>
             <Glyph value="A"/>
@@ -82,6 +82,29 @@
             </Class2Record>
           </Class1Record>
         </PairPos>
+        <PairPos index="2" Format="2">
+          <Coverage>
+            <Glyph value="v"/>
+            <Glyph value="w"/>
+          </Coverage>
+          <ValueFormat1 value="4"/>
+          <ValueFormat2 value="0"/>
+          <ClassDef1>
+          </ClassDef1>
+          <ClassDef2>
+            <ClassDef glyph="c" class="1"/>
+            <ClassDef glyph="d" class="1"/>
+          </ClassDef2>
+          <!-- Class1Count=1 -->
+          <!-- Class2Count=2 -->
+          <Class1Record index="0">
+            <Class2Record index="0">
+            </Class2Record>
+            <Class2Record index="1">
+              <Value1 XAdvance="-20"/>
+            </Class2Record>
+          </Class1Record>
+        </PairPos>
       </Lookup>
     </LookupList>
   </GPOS>