diff --git a/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs b/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs
index d307b1c73..6b165d198 100644
--- a/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs
+++ b/src/uu/chmod/src/chmod.rs
@@ -98,6 +98,10 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> i32 {
         Some(cmode)
     };
 
+    if files.is_empty() {
+        crash!(1, "missing operand");
+    }
+
     let chmoder = Chmoder {
         changes,
         quiet,
diff --git a/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs b/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs
index 6ffc86325..5106b4fe6 100644
--- a/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs
+++ b/tests/by-util/test_chmod.rs
@@ -523,3 +523,12 @@ fn test_chmod_keep_setgid() {
         assert_eq!(at.metadata("dir").permissions().mode(), to);
     }
 }
+
+#[test]
+fn test_no_operands() {
+    new_ucmd!()
+        .arg("777")
+        .fails()
+        .code_is(1)
+        .stderr_is("chmod: missing operand");
+}