diff --git a/script/canto_admin.pl b/script/canto_admin.pl
index e7ac5532a..bdafcca31 100755
--- a/script/canto_admin.pl
+++ b/script/canto_admin.pl
@@ -131,6 +131,11 @@ sub usage
   usage();
 }
 
+if ($change_gene_id && @ARGV != 2) {
+  warn "Error: --change-gene-id needs two arguments\n\n";
+  usage();
+}
+
 my $config = Canto::Config::get_config();
 my $schema = Canto::TrackDB->new(config => $config);