diff --git a/ironicclient/common/utils.py b/ironicclient/common/utils.py
index 22fc624ee..1f64a609b 100644
--- a/ironicclient/common/utils.py
+++ b/ironicclient/common/utils.py
@@ -245,3 +245,9 @@ def make_configdrive(path):
 
             tmpzipfile.seek(0)
             return base64.b64encode(tmpzipfile.read())
+
+
+def check_empty_arg(arg, arg_descriptor):
+    if not arg.strip():
+        raise exc.CommandError(_('%(arg)s cannot be empty or only have blank'
+                                 ' spaces') % {'arg': arg_descriptor})
diff --git a/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_chassis_shell.py b/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_chassis_shell.py
index 21d036647..07d19dba2 100644
--- a/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_chassis_shell.py
+++ b/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_chassis_shell.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import mock
 
+from ironicclient.openstack.common.apiclient import exceptions
 from ironicclient.openstack.common import cliutils
 from ironicclient.tests.unit import utils
 import ironicclient.v1.chassis_shell as c_shell
@@ -31,3 +32,19 @@ class ChassisShellTest(utils.BaseTestCase):
         exp = ['created_at', 'description', 'extra', 'updated_at', 'uuid']
         act = actual.keys()
         self.assertEqual(sorted(exp), sorted(act))
+
+    def test_do_chassis_show_space_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.chassis = '   '
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          c_shell.do_chassis_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
+    def test_do_chassis_show_empty_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.chassis = ''
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          c_shell.do_chassis_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
diff --git a/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_node_shell.py b/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_node_shell.py
index 86807b63a..c44ea17ab 100644
--- a/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_node_shell.py
+++ b/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_node_shell.py
@@ -179,6 +179,42 @@ class NodeShellTest(utils.BaseTestCase):
         # assert get() wasn't called
         self.assertFalse(client_mock.node.get.called)
 
+    def test_do_node_show_by_space_node_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.node = '   '
+        args.instance_uuid = False
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          n_shell.do_node_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
+    def test_do_node_show_by_space_instance_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.node = '   '
+        args.instance_uuid = True
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          n_shell.do_node_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
+    def test_do_node_show_by_empty_node_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.node = ''
+        args.instance_uuid = False
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          n_shell.do_node_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
+    def test_do_node_show_by_empty_instance_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.node = ''
+        args.instance_uuid = True
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          n_shell.do_node_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
     def test_do_node_set_maintenance_true(self):
         client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
         args = mock.MagicMock()
diff --git a/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_port_shell.py b/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_port_shell.py
index 716f37d11..34793c21c 100644
--- a/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_port_shell.py
+++ b/ironicclient/tests/unit/v1/test_port_shell.py
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import mock
 
 from ironicclient.common import utils as commonutils
+from ironicclient.openstack.common.apiclient import exceptions
 from ironicclient.openstack.common import cliutils
 from ironicclient.tests.unit import utils
 import ironicclient.v1.port_shell as p_shell
@@ -46,6 +47,24 @@ class PortShellTest(utils.BaseTestCase):
         # assert get_by_address() wasn't called
         self.assertFalse(client_mock.port.get_by_address.called)
 
+    def test_do_port_show_space_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.port = '   '
+        args.address = False
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          p_shell.do_port_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
+    def test_do_port_show_empty_uuid(self):
+        client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
+        args = mock.MagicMock()
+        args.port = ''
+        args.address = False
+        self.assertRaises(exceptions.CommandError,
+                          p_shell.do_port_show,
+                          client_mock, args)
+
     def test_do_port_show_by_address(self):
         client_mock = mock.MagicMock()
         args = mock.MagicMock()
diff --git a/ironicclient/v1/chassis_shell.py b/ironicclient/v1/chassis_shell.py
index acd75a967..898f57fac 100644
--- a/ironicclient/v1/chassis_shell.py
+++ b/ironicclient/v1/chassis_shell.py
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ def _print_chassis_show(chassis):
 @cliutils.arg('chassis', metavar='<chassis>', help="UUID of the chassis.")
 def do_chassis_show(cc, args):
     """Show detailed information about a chassis."""
+    utils.check_empty_arg(args.chassis, '<chassis>')
     chassis = cc.chassis.get(args.chassis)
     _print_chassis_show(chassis)
 
diff --git a/ironicclient/v1/node_shell.py b/ironicclient/v1/node_shell.py
index 761fdf72a..ba85a36e1 100644
--- a/ironicclient/v1/node_shell.py
+++ b/ironicclient/v1/node_shell.py
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ def _print_node_show(node):
     help='<id> is an instance UUID.')
 def do_node_show(cc, args):
     """Show detailed information about a node."""
+    utils.check_empty_arg(args.node, '<id>')
     if args.instance_uuid:
         node = cc.node.get_by_instance_uuid(args.node)
     else:
diff --git a/ironicclient/v1/port_shell.py b/ironicclient/v1/port_shell.py
index fd78a1288..cce8321ab 100644
--- a/ironicclient/v1/port_shell.py
+++ b/ironicclient/v1/port_shell.py
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ def do_port_show(cc, args):
     if args.address:
         port = cc.port.get_by_address(args.port)
     else:
+        utils.check_empty_arg(args.port, '<id>')
         port = cc.port.get(args.port)
     _print_port_show(port)