diff --git a/src/dbStatic/dbExpand.c b/src/dbStatic/dbExpand.c
index 8117e722a..0f56552c8 100644
--- a/src/dbStatic/dbExpand.c
+++ b/src/dbStatic/dbExpand.c
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ int main(int argc,char **argv)
     static char *subSep = ",";
 
     /*Look for options*/
+    if(argc<2) {
+	fprintf(stderr,
+	    "usage: dbExpand -Idir -Idir "
+		"-S substitutions -S substitutions"
+		" file1.dbd file2.dbd ...\n");
+	exit(0);
+    }
     while((strncmp(argv[1],"-I",2)==0)||(strncmp(argv[1],"-S",2)==0)) {
 	if(strncmp(argv[1],"-I",2)==0) {
 	    pstr = &path;
diff --git a/src/dbStatic/dbToMenuH.c b/src/dbStatic/dbToMenuH.c
index 2932e4a93..f501d0d41 100644
--- a/src/dbStatic/dbToMenuH.c
+++ b/src/dbStatic/dbToMenuH.c
@@ -49,6 +49,10 @@ int main(int argc,char **argv)
     static char *subSep = ",";
 
     /*Look for options*/
+    if(argc<2) {
+	fprintf(stderr,"usage: dbToMenu -Idir -Idir file.dbd\n");
+	exit(0);
+    }
     while((strncmp(argv[1],"-I",2)==0)||(strncmp(argv[1],"-S",2)==0)) {
 	if(strncmp(argv[1],"-I",2)==0) {
 	    pstr = &path;
diff --git a/src/dbStatic/dbToRecordtypeH.c b/src/dbStatic/dbToRecordtypeH.c
index beabc8144..21bc7114b 100644
--- a/src/dbStatic/dbToRecordtypeH.c
+++ b/src/dbStatic/dbToRecordtypeH.c
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ int main(int argc,char **argv)
     static char *subSep = ",";
 
     /*Look for options*/
+    if(argc<2) {
+	fprintf(stderr,"usage: dbToRecordtypeH -Idir -Idir file.dbd\n");
+	exit(0);
+    }
     while((strncmp(argv[1],"-I",2)==0)||(strncmp(argv[1],"-S",2)==0)) {
 	if(strncmp(argv[1],"-I",2)==0) {
 	    pstr = &path;