diff --git a/builtin/branch.c b/builtin/branch.c
index 00d17d25d1..580107fd78 100644
--- a/builtin/branch.c
+++ b/builtin/branch.c
@@ -880,7 +880,9 @@ int cmd_branch(int argc, const char **argv, const char *prefix)
 		if (edit_branch_description(branch_name))
 			return 1;
 	} else if (rename) {
-		if (argc == 1)
+		if (!argc)
+			die(_("branch name required"));
+		else if (argc == 1)
 			rename_branch(head, argv[0], rename > 1);
 		else if (argc == 2)
 			rename_branch(argv[0], argv[1], rename > 1);
diff --git a/t/t3200-branch.sh b/t/t3200-branch.sh
index 12f1e4a63c..a64c9d2dd3 100755
--- a/t/t3200-branch.sh
+++ b/t/t3200-branch.sh
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ test_expect_success \
 test_expect_success \
     'git branch -m dumps usage' \
        'test_expect_code 128 git branch -m 2>err &&
-	test_i18ngrep "too many branches for a rename operation" err'
+	test_i18ngrep "branch name required" err'
 
 test_expect_success \
     'git branch -m m m/m should work' \