diff --git a/test/symbol-test.cc b/test/symbol-test.cc
index 77dbc1af..7454838b 100644
--- a/test/symbol-test.cc
+++ b/test/symbol-test.cc
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ int main (int argc, char** argv)
     notmuch_database_t *notmuch;
     char *message = NULL;
 
+    if (argc != 3)
+	return 1;
+
     if (notmuch_database_open_verbose (argv[1], NOTMUCH_DATABASE_MODE_READ_ONLY,
 				       &notmuch, &message)) {
 	if (message) {