diff --git a/bin/nova-manage b/bin/nova-manage
index 176273c72026..5f3582081cb7 100755
--- a/bin/nova-manage
+++ b/bin/nova-manage
@@ -225,13 +225,17 @@ class ProjectCommands(object):
     def quota(self, project_id, key=None, value=None):
         """Set or display quotas for project"""
         ctxt = context.get_admin_context()
-        if key:
+        project_quota = QUOTAS.get_project_quotas(ctxt, project_id)
+        if key and key in project_quota:
             if value.lower() == 'unlimited':
                 value = -1
             try:
                 db.quota_update(ctxt, project_id, key, value)
             except exception.ProjectQuotaNotFound:
                 db.quota_create(ctxt, project_id, key, value)
+        else:
+            print "error: Invalid key %s supplied for update" % key
+            sys.exit(2)
         project_quota = QUOTAS.get_project_quotas(ctxt, project_id)
         for key, value in project_quota.iteritems():
             if value['limit'] < 0 or value['limit'] is None:
diff --git a/nova/tests/test_nova_manage.py b/nova/tests/test_nova_manage.py
index 537aee28700e..ec5d452a5ca2 100644
--- a/nova/tests/test_nova_manage.py
+++ b/nova/tests/test_nova_manage.py
@@ -367,3 +367,8 @@ class ProjectCommandsTestCase(test.TestCase):
         sys.stdout = sys.__stdout__
         result = output.getvalue()
         self.assertEquals(('volumes: unlimited' in result), True)
+
+    def test_quota_update_invalid_key(self):
+        self.assertRaises(SystemExit,
+                          self.commands.quota, 'admin', 'volumes1', '10'
+                          )