diff --git a/src/dbStatic/dbReadTest.c b/src/dbStatic/dbReadTest.c
index 04fb5656a..4b7b1d993 100644
--- a/src/dbStatic/dbReadTest.c
+++ b/src/dbStatic/dbReadTest.c
@@ -44,6 +44,10 @@ int main(int argc,char **argv)
     static char *subSep = ",";
 
     /*Look for options*/
+    if(argc<2) {
+	printf("usage: dbReadTest -Idir -Idir file.dbd 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;