diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/v1/test_shell.py b/cinderclient/tests/v1/test_shell.py
index 0fc7bae07..a79c413bf 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/v1/test_shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/v1/test_shell.py
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
                            'status=available&volume_id=1234')
 
     def test_rename(self):
-        # basic rename with positional agruments
+        # basic rename with positional arguments
         self.run_command('rename 1234 new-name')
         expected = {'volume': {'display_name': 'new-name'}}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/volumes/1234', body=expected)
@@ -143,12 +143,12 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             'display_description': 'new-description',
         }}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/volumes/1234', body=expected)
-        # noop, the only all will be the lookup
-        self.run_command('rename 1234')
-        self.assert_called('GET', '/volumes/1234')
+
+        # Call rename with no arguments
+        self.assertRaises(SystemExit, self.run_command, 'rename')
 
     def test_rename_snapshot(self):
-        # basic rename with positional agruments
+        # basic rename with positional arguments
         self.run_command('snapshot-rename 1234 new-name')
         expected = {'snapshot': {'display_name': 'new-name'}}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/snapshots/1234', body=expected)
@@ -165,9 +165,9 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             'display_description': 'new-description',
         }}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/snapshots/1234', body=expected)
-        # noop, the only all will be the lookup
-        self.run_command('snapshot-rename 1234')
-        self.assert_called('GET', '/snapshots/1234')
+
+        # Call snapshot-rename with no arguments
+        self.assertRaises(SystemExit, self.run_command, 'snapshot-rename')
 
     def test_set_metadata_set(self):
         self.run_command('metadata 1234 set key1=val1 key2=val2')
diff --git a/cinderclient/tests/v2/test_shell.py b/cinderclient/tests/v2/test_shell.py
index 74437b5dc..f18e39d5c 100644
--- a/cinderclient/tests/v2/test_shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/tests/v2/test_shell.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
                            'status=available&volume_id=1234')
 
     def test_rename(self):
-        # basic rename with positional agruments
+        # basic rename with positional arguments
         self.run_command('rename 1234 new-name')
         expected = {'volume': {'name': 'new-name'}}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/volumes/1234', body=expected)
@@ -121,12 +121,12 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             'description': 'new-description',
         }}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/volumes/1234', body=expected)
-        # noop, the only all will be the lookup
-        self.run_command('rename 1234')
-        self.assert_called('GET', '/volumes/1234')
+
+        # Call rename with no arguments
+        self.assertRaises(SystemExit, self.run_command, 'rename')
 
     def test_rename_snapshot(self):
-        # basic rename with positional agruments
+        # basic rename with positional arguments
         self.run_command('snapshot-rename 1234 new-name')
         expected = {'snapshot': {'name': 'new-name'}}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/snapshots/1234', body=expected)
@@ -143,9 +143,9 @@ class ShellTest(utils.TestCase):
             'description': 'new-description',
         }}
         self.assert_called('PUT', '/snapshots/1234', body=expected)
-        # noop, the only all will be the lookup
-        self.run_command('snapshot-rename 1234')
-        self.assert_called('GET', '/snapshots/1234')
+
+        # Call snapshot-rename with no arguments
+        self.assertRaises(SystemExit, self.run_command, 'snapshot-rename')
 
     def test_set_metadata_set(self):
         self.run_command('metadata 1234 set key1=val1 key2=val2')
diff --git a/cinderclient/v1/shell.py b/cinderclient/v1/shell.py
index 2370560c9..b11782477 100644
--- a/cinderclient/v1/shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/v1/shell.py
@@ -323,6 +323,11 @@ def do_rename(cs, args):
         kwargs['display_name'] = args.display_name
     if args.display_description is not None:
         kwargs['display_description'] = args.display_description
+
+    if not any(kwargs):
+        msg = 'Must supply either display-name or display-description.'
+        raise exceptions.ClientException(code=1, message=msg)
+
     utils.find_volume(cs, args.volume).update(**kwargs)
 
 
@@ -467,6 +472,11 @@ def do_snapshot_rename(cs, args):
         kwargs['display_name'] = args.display_name
     if args.display_description is not None:
         kwargs['display_description'] = args.display_description
+
+    if not any(kwargs):
+        msg = 'Must supply either display-name or display-description.'
+        raise exceptions.ClientException(code=1, message=msg)
+
     _find_volume_snapshot(cs, args.snapshot).update(**kwargs)
 
 
diff --git a/cinderclient/v2/shell.py b/cinderclient/v2/shell.py
index 7b1fa4cc5..18a6bbb70 100644
--- a/cinderclient/v2/shell.py
+++ b/cinderclient/v2/shell.py
@@ -362,6 +362,10 @@ def do_rename(cs, args):
     elif args.description is not None:
         kwargs['description'] = args.description
 
+    if not any(kwargs):
+        msg = 'Must supply either name or description.'
+        raise exceptions.ClientException(code=1, message=msg)
+
     utils.find_volume(cs, args.volume).update(**kwargs)
 
 
@@ -527,6 +531,10 @@ def do_snapshot_rename(cs, args):
     elif args.display_description is not None:
         kwargs['description'] = args.display_description
 
+    if not any(kwargs):
+        msg = 'Must supply either name or description.'
+        raise exceptions.ClientException(code=1, message=msg)
+
     _find_volume_snapshot(cs, args.snapshot).update(**kwargs)