diff --git a/tools/python/xen/xm/main.py b/tools/python/xen/xm/main.py
index 5c8e4b01ff..92782d2ae9 100644
--- a/tools/python/xen/xm/main.py
+++ b/tools/python/xen/xm/main.py
@@ -715,9 +715,9 @@ def main(argv=sys.argv):
             err("Most commands need root access.  Please try again as root")
             sys.exit(1)
         except XendError, ex:
-            if args[0] == "bogus":
-                args.remove("bogus")
             if len(args) > 0:
+                if args[0] == "bogus":
+                    args.remove("bogus")
                 handle_xend_error(argv[1], args[0], ex)
             else:
                 print "Unexpected error:", sys.exc_info()[0]