--- a/src/core/model/test.cc	Mon Jan 05 19:43:49 2015 +0100
+++ b/src/core/model/test.cc	Tue Jan 06 16:51:29 2015 +0100
@@ -937,6 +937,11 @@
 
   // let's run our tests now.
   bool failed = false;
+  if (tests.size () == 0)
+    {
+      std::cerr << "Error:  no tests match the requested string" << std::endl;
+      return 1;
+    }
   for (std::list<TestCase *>::const_iterator i = tests.begin (); i != tests.end (); ++i)
     {
       TestCase *test = *i;