diff --git a/src/uu/touch/src/touch.rs b/src/uu/touch/src/touch.rs
index b1df1aca4..32dd4817d 100644
--- a/src/uu/touch/src/touch.rs
+++ b/src/uu/touch/src/touch.rs
@@ -58,7 +58,11 @@ pub fn uumain(args: impl uucore::Args) -> UResult<()> {
 
     let matches = uu_app().override_usage(&usage[..]).get_matches_from(args);
 
-    let files = matches.values_of_os(ARG_FILES).unwrap();
+    let files = matches.values_of_os(ARG_FILES).ok_or(USimpleError::new(
+        1,
+        r##"missing file operand
+Try 'touch --help' for more information."##,
+    ))?;
 
     let (mut atime, mut mtime) =
         if let Some(reference) = matches.value_of_os(options::sources::REFERENCE) {