diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py
index 794d019..0fe1199 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/ciphers/base.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@
 
 from __future__ import absolute_import, division, print_function
 
+from cryptography.exceptions import AlreadyFinalized
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import interfaces
 
 
@@ -45,12 +46,12 @@
 
     def update(self, data):
         if self._ctx is None:
-            raise ValueError("Context was already finalized")
+            raise AlreadyFinalized("Context was already finalized")
         return self._ctx.update(data)
 
     def finalize(self):
         if self._ctx is None:
-            raise ValueError("Context was already finalized")
+            raise AlreadyFinalized("Context was already finalized")
         data = self._ctx.finalize()
         self._ctx = None
         return data
diff --git a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py
index b8de6c4..86c9fe2 100644
--- a/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py
+++ b/cryptography/hazmat/primitives/hashes.py
@@ -39,19 +39,21 @@
 
     def update(self, data):
         if self._ctx is None:
-            raise AlreadyFinalized()
+            raise AlreadyFinalized("Context was already finalized")
         if isinstance(data, six.text_type):
             raise TypeError("Unicode-objects must be encoded before hashing")
         self._ctx.update(data)
 
     def copy(self):
         if self._ctx is None:
-            raise AlreadyFinalized()
+            raise AlreadyFinalized("Context was already finalized")
         return Hash(
             self.algorithm, backend=self._backend, ctx=self._ctx.copy()
         )
 
     def finalize(self):
+        if self._ctx is None:
+            raise AlreadyFinalized("Context was already finalized")
         digest = self._ctx.finalize()
         self._ctx = None
         return digest
diff --git a/docs/hazmat/primitives/symmetric-encryption.rst b/docs/hazmat/primitives/symmetric-encryption.rst
index 28b143b..950ea8b 100644
--- a/docs/hazmat/primitives/symmetric-encryption.rst
+++ b/docs/hazmat/primitives/symmetric-encryption.rst
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@
 
         :param bytes data: The data you wish to pass into the context.
         :return bytes: Returns the data that was encrypted or decrypted.
+        :raises cryptography.exceptions.AlreadyFinalized: See :meth:`finalize`
 
         When the ``Cipher`` was constructed in a mode that turns it into a
         stream cipher (e.g.
@@ -90,6 +91,10 @@
 
         :return bytes: Returns the remainder of the data.
 
+        Once ``finalize`` is called this object can no longer be used and
+        :meth:`update` will raise
+        :class:`~cryptography.exceptions.AlreadyFinalized`.
+
 Algorithms
 ~~~~~~~~~~
 
diff --git a/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_block.py b/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_block.py
index 28f3447..938cff3 100644
--- a/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_block.py
+++ b/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_block.py
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from cryptography.exceptions import UnsupportedAlgorithm
+from cryptography.exceptions import UnsupportedAlgorithm, AlreadyFinalized
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives import interfaces
 from cryptography.hazmat.primitives.ciphers import (
     Cipher, algorithms, modes
@@ -56,16 +56,16 @@
         encryptor = cipher.encryptor()
         encryptor.update(b"a" * 16)
         encryptor.finalize()
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        with pytest.raises(AlreadyFinalized):
             encryptor.update(b"b" * 16)
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        with pytest.raises(AlreadyFinalized):
             encryptor.finalize()
         decryptor = cipher.decryptor()
         decryptor.update(b"a" * 16)
         decryptor.finalize()
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        with pytest.raises(AlreadyFinalized):
             decryptor.update(b"b" * 16)
-        with pytest.raises(ValueError):
+        with pytest.raises(AlreadyFinalized):
             decryptor.finalize()
 
     def test_unaligned_block_encryption(self, backend):
diff --git a/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_hashes.py b/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_hashes.py
index 991caf1..367e764 100644
--- a/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_hashes.py
+++ b/tests/hazmat/primitives/test_hashes.py
@@ -62,6 +62,9 @@
         with pytest.raises(AlreadyFinalized):
             h.copy()
 
+        with pytest.raises(AlreadyFinalized):
+            h.finalize()
+
 
 class TestSHA1(object):
     test_SHA1 = generate_base_hash_test(