diff --git a/lib/star.js b/lib/star.js
index befef0bbd5f..6bb0b5a4529 100644
--- a/lib/star.js
+++ b/lib/star.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ star.completion = function (opts, cb) {
 }
 
 function star (args, cb) {
+  if (!args.length) return cb(star.usage)
   var s = npm.config.get("unicode") ? "\u2605 " : "(*)"
     , u = npm.config.get("unicode") ? "\u2606 " : "( )"
     , using = !(npm.command.match(/^un/))