diff --git a/src/commands.py b/src/commands.py
index ced166cc1..f23d96c9a 100644
--- a/src/commands.py
+++ b/src/commands.py
@@ -622,12 +622,15 @@ class context(object):
 
 class rest(context):
     def __call__(self, irc, msg, args, state):
-        original = args[:]
-        args[:] = [' '.join(args)]
-        try:
-            super(rest, self).__call__(irc, msg, args, state)
-        except Exception, e:
-            args[:] = original
+        if args:
+            original = args[:]
+            args[:] = [' '.join(args)]
+            try:
+                super(rest, self).__call__(irc, msg, args, state)
+            except Exception, e:
+                args[:] = original
+        else:
+            raise callbacks.ArgumentError
 
 # additional means:  Look for this (and make sure it's of this type).  If
 # there are no arguments for us to check, then use our default.
diff --git a/test/test_commands.py b/test/test_commands.py
index 0280086e5..1c3f1144c 100644
--- a/test/test_commands.py
+++ b/test/test_commands.py
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ class CommandsTestCase(SupyTestCase):
     def testRestHandling(self):
         self.assertState([rest(None)], ['foo', 'bar', 'baz'], ['foo bar baz'])
 
+    def testRestRequiresArgs(self):
+        self.assertRaises(callbacks.ArgumentError,
+                          self.assertState, [rest('something')], [], ['asdf'])
+
     def testOptional(self):
         spec = [optional('int', 999), None]
         self.assertState(spec, ['12', 'foo'], [12, 'foo'])